University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


ELDER   J.   W.   PETERSON. 


JOSEPH    SMITH    DEFENDED 

and 

HIS   DIVINE   MISSION   VINDICATED 


An  answer  to  the  attacks  of  his  enemies,  religious  and  political 


BY  ELDER  J.  W.  PETERSON 

L- 


tAMONI,  IOWA 
HERALD    PUBLISHING    HOUSE 


PREFACE. 

MY  OBJECT  in  writing  this  book  is  because  I  see  a 
need  of-  such  a  work,  and  because  the  enemy  of 
righteousness  and  truth  has  been  so  artful  in  vilify- 
ing and  misrepresenting  Joseph  Smith,  that  I  desire 
the  truth  to  be  placed  alongside  of  the  misrepresen- 
tations, so  that  those  who  are  looking  for  truth  may 
be  able  to  discover  it.  I  do  not  suppose  that  what  I 
have  written  will  convince  all  who  read,  that  the 
Latter  Day  Saint  faith  is  the  "faith  of  Jesus,"  for 
fifteen  years  of  public  experience  have  convinced  me 
that  there  are  many  who  have  already  made  up  their 
miftds  that  Joseph  Smith  was  a  bad  man  and  are  not 
willing  to  give  proper  consideration  to  his  teachings. 

There  are  none  who  are  more  interested  in  a 
proper  solution  of  the  question,  "Who  was  Joseph 
Smith?"  than  we  are,  as  our  eternal  salvation  is  at 
stake,  and  it  is  to  our  interest  to  be  careful  and  fair 
with  both  sides.  Unlike  the  fanatical  class  who  re- 
fuse to  read  anything  but  that  which  is  in  their 
favor,  we  have  read  carefully  both  sides  of  this  ques- 
tion, and  can  recommend  to  the  reader  the  following 
pages  as  a  fair,  careful,  and  conservative  view  of  the 
facts. 

We  send  this  work  out  as  an  introductory  to  intro- 
duce the  reader  to  a  very  few  of  the  many  proofs 
existing  concerning  the  character  and  calling  of 
Joseph  Smith. 

May  the  Spirit  that  leads  into  all  truth,  guide  the 
honest  in  search  for  it. 

J.  W.  PETERSON. 


WHO  WAS  JOSEPH  SMITH? 


CHAPTER  I. 

EVERY  CHURCH  HAS  A  BEGINNING — SOME  ONE  THE  FOUNDER- 
GOD  THE  FOUNDER  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST  OF 
LATTER  DAY  SAINTS  —  JOSEPH  SMITH  CHOSEN  TO  BEGIN  IT 
—  EFFORTS  OF  ENEMIES  TO  MISREPRESENT  —  ENEMIES' 
REPORT  NOT  LIKELY  TO  BE  CORRECT  —  GOD  EXPECTS  MEN 
TO  USE  THEIR  REASON  —  MUST  HEAR  BEFORE  JUDGING  — 
BOTH  SIDES  MUST  BE  HEARD  —  ENEMIES  CONTRADICT  EACH 
OTHER  —  FACTS  ONLY  WILL  AVAIL  —  SMITH'S  TEACHINGS 
A  .GIBRALTAR  —  ASSISTANCE  OFFERED  —  A  DIFFERENCE 
BETWEEN  THE  LATTER  DAY  SAINTS  AND  "  MORMONS  "  - 
JOSEPH  SMITH  NOT  THE  AUTHOR  OF  UTAH  MORMON  ISM. 

EVERY  church  originated  with  some  one — every 
church  had  its  founder.  Those  who  are  seeking  for 
knowledge  desire,  no  doubt,  to  hear  the  true  story  of 
Joseph  Smith,  the  earthly  founder  of  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ,  restored;  as  told  by  his  friends.  The 
Latter  Day  Saints  have  ever  held  that  God  was  the 
real  founder  of  the  Church  of  which  they  have 
become  members  and  that  Joseph  Smith  was  but  an 
instrument  in  God's  hands  to  accomplish  that  work. 
While  not  considering  Mr.  Smith  the  author  of  our 
faith,  yet  our  regard  for  him  as  a  man  of  God  impels 
us  to  defend  him  against  the  vile  attacks  that  have 
been  made  against  him.  Because  of  this  effort  on 
the  part  of  his  enemies  to  keep  the  truth  from  coming 


6  JOSEPH  SMITH 

before  the  public,  many  good  people  scarcely  give 
him  more  than  a  passing  thought  and  often  that  one 
thought  is  clothed  with  indifference,  contempt,  or  even 
hatred.  If  his  enemies  have  represented  him  cor- 
rectly, and  presented  his  character  to  the  public  in 
its  true  light,  then  no  one  should  be  blamed  for  being 
disinterested  nor  for  considering  him  unworthy  of 
further  notice.  But  his  enemies  have  not  represented 
him  correctly.  One's  friends  may  often  fail  in  that 
regard,  much  more  one's  enemies.  The  latter  are 
almost  sure,  as  might  be  supposed,  to  misconstrue 
the  meaning  of  every  word  and  distort  the  intention 
of  every  act  to  suit  their  purposes. 
,  We  can  assure  the  reader,  in  advance  of  the  proof 
which  we  shall  subsequently  furnish,  that  he  was 
really  a  good  man  and  one  greatly  to  be  admired. 
His  acts  were  so  public  and  his  words  so  plain  and 
virtuous  that  it  is  not  a  difficult  matter  to  determine 
his  character  when  the  facts  are  all  examined  with  an 
unbiased  mind.  Many  of  his  opposers  appear  very 
ridiculous  when  their  writings  are  compared  with  the 
facts.  Others,  a  little  more  clear-sighted  yet  not 
more  honorable,  have  resorted  to  misrepresentation 
in  order  to  make  out  a  case  against  him.  Still  others, 
with  no  intention,  perhaps,  of  doing  the  man  any 
injustice,  yet  ignorant  of  the  true  facts,  have  drawn 
largely  from  misrepresentations  and  evil  stories  and 
are  caught  in  the  same  snare  with  those  from  whom 
they  copy. 

With  all  due  respect  for  the  opinions  of  those  who 
think  differently,  we  kindly  ask  and  earnestly  request 
that  Mr.  Smith  be  heard  for  himself.  Perhaps  after 
both  sides  are  carefully  considered,  it  will  be  dis- 


JOSEPH  SMITH  7 

covered  that  his  opposers  have  not  been  dealing  with 
the  facts  at  all.  Usually  the  opposers  of  Mr.  Smith 
are  not  satisfied  to  throw  mud  only  at  him,  but  good, 
honest  men  and  women  who  think  the  proofs  are  not 
sufficient  to  prove  that  he  was  a  bad  man  must  also 
be  vilified.  Hence,  the  believers  in  Mr.  Smith's 
teachings  are  cast  out  as  low  and  vicious,  no  matter 
how  kind  they  are,  no  matter  how  honorable  they  are, 
no  matter  how  good  they  are — all  counts  for  nothing. 
They,  too,  must  be  mudded.  This  should  show  the 
spirit  actuating  the  persecutors,  and  we  trust  the 
reader  will  note  this  point  carefully. 

The  invitation  of  our  heavenly  Father,  "Come  now, 
and  let  us  reason  together,"  we  believe  to  be  the 
proper  way  to  do  where  differences  exist.  We  there- 
fore invite  the  reader  to  come  and  let  us  reason  upgn 
this  matter  kindly.  Some  one  has  said:  "He  who 
will  not  reason,  is  a  knave;  he  who  dare  not  reason, 
is  a  coward;  he  who  can  not  reason,  is  a  fool." 

Bible  believers  can  not  well  escape  condemnation 
if  they  refuse  to  observe  the  commandment  of  the 
Apostle  Paul  to  "prove  all  things."  The  work  of 
Joseph  Smith  is  one  of  the  things  that  should  be 
proven  false  before  rejected,  or  proven  true  before 
accepted.  In  order  that  we  may  prove  anything  in 
the  right  way,  we  must  do  it  kindly,  for  the  Bible 
says,  in  substance,  that  the  things  of  God  are  only 
understood  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  An  unkind  feeling 
will  exclude  that  Spirit  from  the  heart,  and  therefore, 
the  brightest  truth  of  God  might  be  considered  only 
a  myth  unless  kindness  is  exercised.  If  the  reader  is 
not  willing  to  reason  kindly,  then  we  beg  permission 
to  withdraw.  We  want  nothing  to  do  with  an  unkind 


8  JOSEPH   SMITH 

investigation,  for  it  would  be  productive  of  no  good. 
Continuing,  we  wish  to  suggest  that  honor,  if  nothing 
more,  should  provide  us .  with  a  desire  to  obtain 
knowledge,  and  not  only  knowledge,  but  correct 
knowledge.  It  should  not  hurt  any  man's  religion 
to  correctly  understand  the  religion  of  some  other 
man,  unless  his  own  be  of  that  kind  that  will  not  bear 
comparison. 

In  this  short  treatise,  we  are  fully  aware  that  we 
shall  not  be  able  to  do  this  subject  half  justice,  but 
we  can,  at  least,  try  to  throw  a  little  light  on  the 
matter  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  willing  to  do 
unto  others  as  they  would  have  others  do  unto  them. 
All  will  admit  the  possibility  of  there  being  a  side  to 
this  question  other  than  the  one  told  by  the  enemies, 
and  not  only  the  possibility,  but  the  probability.  In 
view,  therefore,  of  the  probable  other  side,  we  desire 
to  submit  a  few  brief  points  and  hope  they  may  be 
calmly  and  carefully  studied,  not  with  a  desire  to  find 
fault,  for  flaws  exist  in  all  the  works  of  man  every- 
where, but  with  a  desire  to  get  at  our  meaning  from 
our  own  words,  as  also  to  obtain  the  truth  of  the 
matter  herein  discussed.  We  are  confident  that  we 
shall  not  only  be  able  to  show  a  probable  other  side, 
but  clearly  and  distinctly  that  words  have  been 
attributed  to  Mr.  Smith  which  he  never  uttered,  and 
acts  laid  at  his  door  that  were  the  very  opposite  of 
the  real  work  of  the  man.  Usually  when  people 
desire  to  know  the  truth  concerning  any  church,  any 
social  organization,  or  any  political  party,  they  will 
read  the  articles  of  faith,  the  declaration  of  princi- 
ples, or  the  platform  of  the  respective  societies.  It 
is  always  best  to  allow  each  to  interpret  its  own  pro- 


•       JOSEPH   SMITH  9 

duction,  and  most  people  do  that.  Indeed  justice  can 
not  be  done  in  any  other  way.  Bat  when  the  work 
of  Joseph  Smith  is  being  considered  or,  rather, 
rejected,  many  people  scarcely  ever  ask:  "What 
articles  of  faith  did  he  subscribe  to?  How  did  he 
interpret  them?  What  did  he  say  for  himself?"  It 
is  sufficient,  with  many,  to  read  some  dime  novel,  or 
some  ridiculous  book  written  expressly  to  make 
money,  with  no  regard  for  the  truth;  or,  still  worse, 
the  bitter  writings  of  some  apostate;  or,  worse  than 
all,  the  revengeful  writings  of  those  .who  have  been 
expelled  from  the  Church  for  immorality  or  other 
wrongs.  This  latter  class  were  too  bad  to  hold  fel- 
lowship longer  in  what  many  ignorantly  suppose  to 
be  the  most  vile  church  in  existence,  and  yet  they 
will  accept  the  writings  of  such  men  for  diamond 
truth,  and  drink  in  their  offering  with  a  relish.  To 
be  consistent,  the  writing  of  a  bad  man,  too  bad  to 
be  fellowshiped  longer  in  a  bad  church,  should  be 
read,  to  say  the  least,  with  considerable  suspicion. 
Again,  the  writings  of  a  bad  man  expelled  from  a 
virtuous  church  should  be  taken  with  at  least  "a 
grain  of  salt."  Apostate  writers  also  usually  show  a 
revengeful  spirit  against  those  whom  they  lovingly 
called  brothers  for  twenty  or  more  years.  Their 
revengeful  spirit  shows  the  reason  for  their  apostasy. 
Such  a  spirit  is  not  of  the  God  of  love,  and  because 
they  did  not  have  the  good  Spirit  they  became  dark 
and  abode  not  in  the  truth,  fulfilling  the  words  of 
Jesus:  "If  therefore  the  light  that  is  in  thee  be  dark- 
ness how  great  is  that  darkness."  The  writing  of 
one  in  darkness  is  scarcely  to  be  trusted.  Prejudiced 
writers  almost  invariably  exhibit  their  malignant 


10  JOSEPH   SMITH 

spirit  in  the  very  title  of  their  books,  for  instead  of 
speaking  of  the  Church  by  its  proper  name  they 
usually  use  the  term  Mormon  in  order  to  cater  to 
public  prejudice.  Hence,  we  see  such  books  as 
Doctrines  and  Dogmas  of  Mormonism,  Mormonism 
Unveiled,  The  Women  of  Mormonism,  The  Mormon 
Prophet,  etc.  Their  very  title  is  a  warning  to  hon- 
orable men  to  look  with  suspicion  on  the  contents. 
Then,  again,  we  have  anti-Mormon  societies,  the  very 
title  of  which  indicates  their  prejudice.  The  proper 
course  to  pursue  in  order  to  find  the  truth  concern- 
ing Joseph  Smith  is  to  compare  his  writings  with  the 
attacks  of  his  enemies.  Mr.  Smith  is  now  dead,  but 
his  words  and  works  yet  live,  and  his  friends  desire 
to  place  them  in  contrast  with  what  his  accusers  have 
said  and  let  the  public  examine  each.  Let  them  look 
on  the  one  picture  and  then  on  the  other,  and,  after 
comparing  them  with  the  facts,  decide  for  them- 
selves which  truly  represents  the  man.  We  do  not 
wish  to  suppress  the  writings  of  his  enemies.  We  do 
not  at  all  desire  to  mar  that  picture.  We  would 
rather  preserve  it  to  present  in  contrast  with  the 
truth.  It  does  not  require  a  great  deal  of  bravery  to 
attack  a  dead  lion.  But  as  most  of  the  attacks  have 
been  made  on  Mr.  Smith  since  his  death,  so  that  he 
can  not  defend  himself,  his  friends  desire  to  speak  a 
word  in  his  defense.  It  is  right  that  the  witnesses 
for  the  accused  be  heard  as  well  as  witnesses  against 
him.  If  the  Court  of  Public  Opinion  does  not  grant 
us  our  rights  in  this  world,  then  it  becomes  our  final 
duty  to  appeal  the  case  to  the  Supreme  Judge  of  all 
the  earth,  and  we  will  wait  with  confidence  the 
decision  in  that  great  day  when  those  who  have 


JOSEPH   SMITH  11 

judged  Mr.  Smith  wrongfully  will  be  compelled  to 
face  the  facts.  It  is  not  right  to  refuse  to  hear  the 
other  side,  neither  jis  it  right  to  judge  from  biased 
testimony  alone.  People  may,  if  they  choose,  judge 
Mr.  Smith  by  what  his  enemies  have  said,  but  there 
comes  a  time  in  the  great  summing  up  of  accounts, 
when  such  men  will  wish  they  had  been  fair.  We 
only  ask  for  justice,  we  ask  only  for  fair  play. 

In  further  consideration  of  this  thought,  perhaps  no 
wiser  saying  was  ever  penned  than  one  by  Solomon, 
the  master-builder  of  the  temple  of  God  at  Jerusa- 
lem: "He  that  answereth  a  matter  before  he  heareth 
it,  it. is  folly  and  shame  unto  him."  Let  it  be  noticed 
that  Solomon  does  not  say  "heareth  o/a  matter"  but 
heareth  the  matter  itself.  So,  with  Joseph  Smith, 
do  not  judge  him  by  what  is  said  of  him,  but  hear 
the  nran  himself;  likewise,  his  witnesses.  In  this 
boasted  age  of  intelligence  it  would  be  very  humiliat- 
ing to  many,  no  doubt,  to  admit  that  they  were  far 
behind  the  ancients  in  some  things  at  least.  But  it 
is  a  fact  that  since  Joseph  Smith  appeared  as  a 
reformer  and  restorer^  many  people  are  guilty  of 
judging  him  before  hearing  him — the  very  thing 
which  Solomon  said  was  both  shameful  and  foolish. 
It  is  lamentable  that  many  have  not  advanced  one 
step  in  this  regard  since  Solomon  thousands  of  years 
ago  wrote  by  inspiration  the  above  statement. 
Another  than  Solomon,  "a  ruler  of  the  Jews"  and  one 
of  the  lawmakers  of  his  nation,  also  saw  this  weak- 
ness even  in  those  of  note.  When  Jesus  was  being 
tried  before  Pilate  he  asked,  "Doth  our  law  judge 
any  man,  before  it  hear  him,  and  know  what  he 
doeth?"  He  knew  that  it  was  wrong  to  condemn  a 


12  JOSEPH   SMITH 

man  without  a  hearing.  So  ought  men  to  know  that 
it  is  wrong  to  do  the  same  thing  to-day.  But  the 
mere  mention  of  Joseph  Smith  at  once  stirs  up  the 
old  satanic  spirit  of  persecution  in  many,  and  they 
cry  out  as  of  old,  "Away  with  him,  away  with  him, 
crucify  him,"  "He  is  not  fit  to  live,"  without  really 
knowing  who  the  man  was.  or  what  he  had  done. 
"~How  many  grave  mistakes  have  been  made  in  the 
past  because  of  a  failure  to  hear  equally  patiently  the 
accused  as  well  as  the  accuser?  The  most  alarming 
mistake  in  all  the  world's  great  history  was  because 
of  this  failure,  when  the  only  Son  of  our  Maker  and 
Preserver  was  mobbed  by  religious  fanatics.  The 
purest  blood  this  world  ever  saw  was  madly  spilled 
on  Calvary  by  order_of  those  who  would  not  stop  to 
reason.  What  a  lesson  to  us  to-day  who  are  brothers 
with  those  who  made  that  awful  mistake !  It  is  time 
we  were  beginning  to  profit  by  past  experience. 
Prejudice  and  darkness  will  not  settle  matters  aright. 
We  must  be  just.  We  must  be  fair. 

Those  to-day  who  will  not  listen,  who  will  not  read, 
who  will  not  reason,  can  not  expect  to  receive  at  the 
hands  of  the  great  Judge  any  greater  reward  than 
those  of  like  spirit  who  killed  his  Son.  Why  should 
they?  No  greater  displeasure  of  God  was  ever  meted 
out  to  any  class  than  to  those  who  "having  eyes,  see 
not,"  "and  having  ears,  hear  not."  We  must  listen  to 
facts,  and  it  is  a  fact  that  Joseph  Smith  was  a  good 
man,  grossly  misunderstood  and  grossly  misrepre- 
sented. Why  is  it  not  better  to  be  careful  and  rea- 
sonable and  just  and  fair?  Kind  reader,  let  us  ask 
you  that  if  in  the  past  you  have  been  prejudiced 
against  Joseph  Smith,  to  lay  it  aside  long  enough  to 


JOSEPH   SMITH  13 

patiently  hear  the  other  side.  We  are  confident  that 
the  gospel  which  Mr.  Smith  preached  will  bear  every 
Bible  test  and  every  legitimate  criticism.  Do  not 
think  this  matter  can  be  put  aside  by  a  puff  of  the 
breath,  a  wave  of  the  hand,  or  a  stroke  of  the  pen. 
We  are  confident  that  a  thorough  investigation  will 
convince  the  most  skeptical  that  this  is  no  small 
matter.  Like  the  Rock  of  Gibralter  it  has  nobly 
withstood  all  the  opposition  that  could  be  brought 
against  it  from  every  side  for  over  three  quarters  of 
a  century.  Beyond  a  doubt,  no  church  in  the  world 
since  the  early  centuries  of  Christianity,  has  suffered 
such  persecution,  such  lying,  such  slander,  such  con- 
'  tempt,  and,  more  recently,  such  ostracism.  It  has 
withstood  all  this  and  has  proven  itself  worthy  of  the 
best  thought  and  support  of  the  best  men  of  this  or 
any  other  country.  In  its  doctrines  are  to  be  found 
the  very  essence  of  chastity,  democracy,  and  truth. 
It  is  worthy  the  acceptation  of  any  man  who  does  not 
fear  the  persecution  of  those  who  worship  at  the 
shrine  of  public  opinion,  who  does  not  fear  to  have 
his  name  cast  out  as  evil.  Any  man  who  is  strong 
enough  to  withstand  all  this  may  find  great  consola- 
tion in  worshiping  God  in  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ, 
reorganized.  But  the  weakling  who  fears  public 
opinion  and  can  not  stem  the  popular  tide,  may  just 
as  well  stop  here  and  not  read  another  page,  for 
Jesus  has  said:  "He  that  is  ashamed  of  me  and  of 
my  word,  of  him  will  I  be  ashamed  before  my 
heavenly  Father  and  the  holy  angels."  If  the  weak- 
ling is  ashamed  of  the  truth  because  held  in  lowly, 
unpopular  circles,  he  is  unworthy  the  kingdom  of 
God. 


14  JOSEPH   SMITH 

Notwithstanding  the  -work  of  Joseph  Smith  has 
been  set  at  naught  by  popular  opinion,  it  has  in  it  the 
elements  of  success.  If  we  are  to  judge  of  him  by 
his  works,  we  decide  that  he  was  a  great  and  good 
man.  While  many  were  of  the  opinion  that  with  the 
murder  of  Joseph  Smith  his  work  would  be  for  ever 
obliterated,  yet  we  see  now  that  that  was  not  the  right 
way  to  settle  the  matter,  and  hence  it  was  not  settled 
at  all.  But  those  who  tried  to  overthrow  the  work  of 
Mr.  Smith  by  killing  the  man,  were  no  more  mistaken 
than  those  who  now  try  to  solve  the  problem  by 
biased  evidence.  Such  a  solution  of  the  problem  is 
like  smothering  a  fire  with  combustible  material.  It 
will  only  be  a  matter  of  time  when  the  fire  will  be 
greater  than  before.  Truth  only  laughs  at  such  work 
and  grows  fat  all  the  while.  Nor  will  it  avail  to  pay 
no  attention  to  it,  for  truth  is  aggressive  and  will 
continue  to  turn  and  overturn  all  things  until  every 
error  is  exposed  and  itself  vindicated.  Surely  Mr. 
Smith's  accusers  are  in  a  sad  plight,  a  dilemma  with 
many  horns.  Take  whichever  horn  they  will,  they 
seem  to  get  gored  by  the  other,  and  not  only  by  the 
other,  but  by  the  very  horn  itself. 

To  murder  the  man  does  not  destroy  his  teaching. 
To  lie  about  him  seems  but  folly,  as  a  lie  is  sure  to  be 
found  out.  To  play  the  hypocrite  by  seeming  uncon- 
cerned is  worse  than  either  of  the  other  plans,  for 
that  would  permit  the  supposed  evil  to  grow  and 
flourish  in  their  very  midst.  The  battle,  having  been 
started,  is  on  for  good  and  can  not  cease  until  justice 
is  awarded  to  the  worthy  even  though  it  last  until  the 
judgment  day,  There  can  be  no  cessation  in  the 
conflict  between  truth  and  error  until  that  great  day. 


JOSEPH  SMITH  15 

To  assist  those  who  would  know  the  truth  con- 
cerning Joseph  Smith  long  this  side  of  the  revealments 
in  that  just  day,  and  reap  the  benefit  in  this  life,  and, 
consequently,  in  the  next,  we  offer  our  assistance  on 
the  following  points : 

First,  by  cross-examining  some  of  the  witnesses  of 
the  prosecution,  or,  more  properly  speaking,  the  per- 
secution. 

Second,  by  answering  some  of  the  stories  told  to 
deceive. 

Third,  by  answering  objections  said  to  be  biblical. 

Fourth,  by  introducing  disinterested  witnesses  to 
prove  Mr.  Smith's  character  good,  and  entirely  above 
reproach  in  the  different  localities  where  he  lived. 

Fifth,  by  introducing  certain  court  decisions — one 
from  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  and  one 
from  the  Supreme  Court  of  Canada,  showing  that 
Joseph^  Smith  was  not  the  author  of,  or  responsible 
for,  "Mormon"  polygamy. 

Sixth,  by  calling  attention  to  many  passages  of 
scripture  which  refer  to  a  latter-day  dispensation  of 
the  gospel  of  Christ — "the  dispensation  of  the  full- 
ness of  times" — which  Joseph  Smith  was  divinely 
appointed  to  introduce. 

Seventh,  by  quoting  Joseph  Smith's  own  words. 

Eighth,  by  quoting  some  of  his  prophecies. 

Ninth,  by  giving  many  of  his  sayings  on  temper- 
ance, war,  governments,  and  other  matters. 

Tenth,  by  giving  his  phrenological  indications. 

Eleventh,  by  giving  many  newspaper  articles  which 
speak  of  the  Reorganized  Church  and  their  efforts  to 
oppose  the  evils  of  Utah  "Mormonism." 

We  do  not  pose  as  a  lawyer,  but  men  who  deal  with 


16  JOSEPH   SMITH 

facts  at  law  have  decided  how  best  to  get  at  them, 
and  so  we  may  be  permitted  to  get  at  them  in  a  simi- 
lar way.  Let  the  results  determine  whether  or  not 
we  have  succeeded. 

Before  entering  further  into  this  investigation  we 
wish  to  state  that  it  is  impossible  to  answer  the  ques- 
tion, "Who  was  Joseph  Smith?"  without  examining 
the  work  which  he  established  under  the  direction  of 
the  Almighty,  and  which- the  world  has  named  "Mor- 
monism." But  the  so-called  Mormonism  of  Joseph 
Smith  was  not  the  Mormonism  of  to-day  in  Utah,  nor 
was  Joseph  Smith  in  any  way  responsible  for  the 
evils  taught  by  Brigham  Young  and  his  successors. 
We  trust  the  reader  will  keep  in  mind  this  difference, 
and  in  the  proper  place  we  will  show  more  clearly 
why  this  distinction  should  be  made.  In  the  follow- 
ing extracts  we  use  the  terms  "Mormon"  and  "Mor- 
monism" as  the  writers  quoted  used  and  understood 
them,  not  that  we  in  any  way  indorse  them  as  proper 
terms. 


JOSEPH  SMITH  17 


CHAPTER   II. 

CONTRADICTION  IN  HISTORY,  ENCYCLOPEDIAS,  NOVELS,  AND  NEWS- 
PAPERS —  NECESSARY  TO  CLEAR  AWAY  RUBBISH  BEFORE 
BUILDING  —  PROOF  AND  NOT  ASSERTIONS  DESIRED  —  EVIL 
STORIES  ANSWERED  —  WAS  HE  A  FALSE  PROPHET?  —  His 
FALSE  PROPHECY  DEMANDED— SPIRIT  OF  SNEERING— "OLD 
"  JOE"  —  DEVIL  ALWAYS  OPPOSES  BRIGHTEST  TRUTH  THE 
HARDEST— DIFFERENCE  BETWEEN  REPUTATION  AND  CHARAC- 
TER—JESUS HAD  A  BAD  REPUTATION  AMONG  THE  JEWS- 
JOSEPH  PROPHESIED  THAT  THE  REBELLIOUS  ("MORMONS") 
WOULD  BE  SENT  AWAY  OUT  OF  THE  LAND— CLERGY  THE 
LEADERS  IN  PERSECUTION — JOSEPH  SMITH  IN  HARMONY  WITH 
BEST  MODERN  THINKERS. 

ENTERING  upon  the  cross-examination  of  the  oppo- 
nent's v witnesses,  we  find  it  necessary  to  examine 
only  a  few,  to  show  fatal  weaknesses  on  that  whole 
side  of  this  question.  We  have  not  space  enough 
here  to  examine  all  that  has  been  published  in  ency- 
clopedias, histories,  autobiographies,  novels,  and 
other  books,  together  with  magazines  and  news- 
papers, against  Joseph  Smith;  but  surely  it  would 
not  be  considered  unfair  in  controversy  to  select 
some  of  the  very  most  public  points  in  the  history  of 
the  Church  and  examine  them,  and  then  let  them 
answer  for  the  rest,  inasmuch  as  we  can  not  take 
time  here  to  answer  all  without  making  this  writing 
too  long  and,  perhaps,  uninteresting. 

A  few  of  the  most  public  events,  while  examining 
this  subject,  no  doubt  would  be:  The  settlement  of 
N'auvoo  near  where  Mr.  Smith  was  killed;  the  intro- 


18  JOSEPH  SMITH 

duction  of  polygamy,  if  by  Joseph  Smith  or  by  some 
one  else  after  he  was  killed;  the  death  of  Joseph 
Smith,  time,  place,  and  manner. 

Let  the  reader  notice  as  we  proceed,  the  differences 
in  the  dates  given  in  the  following-named  books  on 
the  above  notable  events,  and  then  imagine,  if  he 
can,  the  confusion  that  exists  in  the  literature  of 
to-day  on  minor  events  connected  with  this  subject. 
If  not  satisfied  to  thus  imagine,  then  let  him  examine 
for  himself  and  be  convinced.  To  make  the  matter 
plain  at  a  glance  we  italicize  some  of  the  errors  in 
the  following  extracts : 

Chamber's  Encyclopedia  of  Universal  Knowledge. 
In  two  volumes — article  "Mormons" :  "It  can  not 
possibly  be  proven  that  Joseph  Smith  himself  prac- 
ticed polygamy." 

American  Encyclopedia. — Volume  2,  page  738: 
"The  practice  of  polygamy  was  denied  by  the  'Mor- 
mons' in  earlier  days.  ...  Of  late  years  it  has  been 
maintained  that  the  revelation  was  received  by  the 
prophet  as  early  as  1831." 

Our  Country's  Achievements. — Page  678:  "Settling 
in  Illinois  in  1831  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi, 
they  laid  the  foundation  of  a  great  temple.  ...  In 
a  short  time  the  public  mind  became  excited.  Joseph 
Smith  surrendered  to  the  authorities  to  undergo  a 
legal  trial,  but  the  mob,  bursting  in  the  jail,  mur- 
dered him  with  great  brutality." 

Hitchcock's  Analysis  of  the  Bible. — Page  1121:  "In 
1838  the  'Mormons'  fled  to  Missouri  and  the  next 
year  to  Nauvoo,  Illinois,  where  they  were  expelled  in 
1846." 

Rand-McNally's  New  Atlas  of  the  World.— Article 


JOSEPH   SMITH  %  19 

"Mormons"  i  "The  Mormons  who  had  settled  at 
Nauvoo  and  Carthage,  Illinois,  after  being  driven 
from  Missouri." 

Swinton's  Condensed  United  States  History.  —  Page 
144,  paragraph  46.  Early  Edition:  "Joseph  Smith 
was  killed  in  1845." 

Quackenbos'  History  of  the  United  States.  —  "July,    ^ 
1844,   Joseph   Smith  and  brother  were  killed  by  a 
mob." 

An  Elementary  History  of  the  United  States.  —  Page 
186:  "The  Mormons  first  settled  in  the  regions  near 
the  Mississippi  River  .  .  .  mobs  drove  them  away." 

Life  of  Kit  Carson.—  Page  286:  "In  1852  .  .  .  was 
lead  by  peculiar  circumstances  to  undertake  a  trip  /  ^ 
across    the    continent."     Page    292:    "I    called    on 
Brigham  Young  and  also  on  the  old  patriarch,  Joe 


Story  of  the  Wild  West.—  Page  402:  "William  F. 
Cody  was  born  in  February,  1845."  Page  437; 
"Moved  to  Kansas  in  1852."  Crossed  the  plains 
when  eleven  years  old  (1856),  conversed  with  Joseph 
Smith  on  the  way. 

Wild  West.—  Edition  1888,  pages  436  to  439:  "This 
purports  to  be  an  account  of  a  dialogue  between  one 
Simpson,  leader  of  United   States   Army  train,  and 
Joseph   Smithy  in   1857  [thirteen    years  after    his  /^ 
death].     Simpson  asks,  'But  who  are  you?'     'I  am  ^ 
Joe  Smith,'  was  the  reply.      'What!  the  leader  of  the 
Danites?'   asked   Simpson.     'You  are   correct,'  said 
Smith.       .  .  .     'What  do  you  propose  to  do  with  us 
now?'    'I  intend  to  burn  your  train.    ...     I  have  no 
way  to  convey  the  stuff  to  my  people,  I'll  see  that  it 


20  JOSEPH  SMITH 

does  not  reach  the  United  States  troops.'  "—Palmyra 
to  Independence,  pp.  271,  272. 

Female  Life  Among  the  Mormons. — Page  137: 
"The  glaring  tube  of  death  exploded  and  Smith 
tumbled  from  his  horse.'9  Page  147:  "On  that 
dreadful  night  when  these  eyes  beheld  the  fall  of  our 
holy  prophet  when  he  tumbled  from  his  horse." 

Illustrated  Book  of  All  Religions.— Page  338:  "The 
prophet  was  in  prison,  but  the  jail  was  attacked  by  a 
furious  mob,  by  whom  Smith  and  several  of  his  asso- 
ciates were  murdered." 

Encyclopedia  Britannica. — Volume  16,  page  826: 
"Accordingly  on  the  27th  of  June,  1844,  he  (Joseph 
Smith)  and  Hyrum  were  put  in  Carthage  jail,  but  the 
same  night  a  mob  broke  into  the  jail  and  shot  the  two 
men  dead." 

Johnson's  Encyclopedia  says  they  were  shot  next 
day  after  they  were  put  in  jail.  This  would  either 
make  them  shot  June  28,  or  put  in  jail  the  twenty- 
sixth.  Ann  Eliza,  nineteenth  wife  of  Brigham 
Young,  in  writing  her  life,  says  Joseph  Smith  was 
shot  July  7,  1844.  Beadle  and  others  say  June  27, 
1844. 

American  History  for  Schools. — Page  244:  Mor- 
mon Troubles.  .  .  .  "Their  creed  allowing  polygamy 
or  a  plurality  qf  wives  was  not  very  moral  nor  were 
their  practices  any  more  so;  therefore  when  about 
twelve  hundred  settled  in  Missouri  the  Missourians 
drove  them  out.  They  crossed  to  Illinois  and  there 
in  1840  founded  the  city  of  Nauvoo." 

Johnson's  New  Encyclopedia.— Edition  of  1876, 
volume  4,  page  334:  "On  the  evening  of  May  27 , 
[1844]  assembled,  dispersed  the  guard,  and  began 


JOSEPH   SMITH  21 

firing  into  the  door  and  windows  of  the  jail.  Hyrum 
Smith  was  shot  dead.  Joseph  returned  the  fire  with 
a  revolver  until  his  charges  were  exhausted  when  he 
endeavored  to  make  his  escape  by  the  window,  but 
was  shot  in  the  attempt  and  fell  dead  to  the  ground." 

Colliers  Compendium  of  Profitable  Knowledge. — 
By  Irving  Hancock,  Page  360:  "1845  Joe  Smith 
the  Mormon  Prophet  killed  and  the  Mormons  driven 
away  from  Nauvoo  City,  Illinois,  by  a  mob." 

The  Rocky  Mountain  News,  Denver,  Colorado, 
February  18,  1894,  in  mentioning  the  death  of  John 
L.  Hildreth,  says:  "In^l849  with  his  parents  and 
the  family,  he  went  to  California  from  Hannibal, 
Missouri,  and  from  Salt  Lake  his  party  were  guided 
by  Joseph  Smith,  afterward  chief  prophet  of  the 
Mormon,  Church." 

Reverend  B.  D.  Alden,  writing  in  the  Colesburg, 
Iowa,  Review,  August  1897,  says:  "Smith  received 
a  revelation  on  polygamy  in  1845."  [The  year  after 
his  death.] 

Surely  we  have  dates  enough  in  the  above  so  that 
there  would  be  no  escaping  the  conclusion  that  he 
was  really  murdered.  If  one  date  fails  then  another 
could  be  accepted.  Quite  a  safe  course  for  error  to 
take,  but  it  is  not  very  satisfactory  to  those  who  desire 
to  know  the  facts.  Just  where  and  how  and  when  Mr. 
Smith  was  killed  is  very  difficult  to  determine,  espe- 
cially as  to  when.  Whether  it  was  May  27,  or  June 
27,  1844,  or  July  7,  1844,  or  1845,  or  1849,  or  1852,  or 
1856,  or  1857,  is  an  unsettled  question,  judging  from 
the  foregoing.  Here  is  a  range  of  thirteen  years 
difference  in  time.  Is  it  possible  that  the  opposition 
could  come  no  closer  than  that  in  giving  us  the  exact 


22  JOSEPH   SMITH 

date,  although  it  occurred  not  much  over  a  half  cen- 
tury ago?  How  reckless!  It  seems  some  writers 
were  more  after  the  money  than  the  facts.  It  is  all 
the  more  lamentable  when  there  are  thousands  yet 
living  who  could  give  them  the  facts. 

Whether  he  was  shot  on  horseback,  in  bed,  or  in 
jail  is  not  clearly  shown.  "Whether  he  had  just  moved 
from  Ohio,  or  had  just  arrived  from  Missouri,  or 
whether  he  had  lived  long  in  Illinois  when  he  was 
murdered,  does  not  appear.  Whether  he  introduced 
polygamy  in  1831,  or  1845,  or  whether  he  did  not 
teach  it  at  all  is  a  puzzle,  judging  from  the  above 
witnesses.  Certainly  some  of  these  statements  are 
wrong.  Not  all  can  be  right.  Which  shall  we  reject, 
and  which  shall  we  accept? 

These  few  points  are  among  the  most  public  in 
examining  this  matter.  If  such  difference  exists  on 
these  "most  public  matters,"  what  shall  we  say  of 
things  of  lesser  note?  What  a  medley  of  confusion 
from  the  proud  literary  talent  of  to-day!  Too  proud 
to  stoop  to  the  humble  Latter  Day  Saints  and  obtain 
from  them  their  own  history.  We  have  yet  to  see 
one  encyclopedia  or  one  history  that  has  published, 
over  the  signature  of  any  accredited  representative 
of  the  Church,  our  history  as  it  really  is. 

Ordinarily,  if  these  same  authors,  or  any  one  else 
for  that  matter,  desires  to  know  anything  of  the 
Methodists,  Baptists,  Congregationalists,  Presby- 
terians, Episcopalians,  or  any  other  denomination, 
they  at  once  write  and  get  the  official  literature  of  the 
respective  churches  and  study  that,  or  else  listen  to 
their  authorized  representatives.  But  if  the  books 
quoted  above  are  taken  as  a  standard  of  evidence  in 


JOSEPH  SMITH  23 

this  case,  then  it  is  very  certain  that  the  ordinary 
rule  has  not  been  applied  to  Joseph  Smith  and  the 
Latter  Day  Saints.  On  almost  every  page,  and  in 
nearly  every  paragraph,  these  writers  exhibit  their 
lack  of  information  when  writing  of  what  they  are 
pleased  to  call  "the  Mormons." 

We  would  be  glad  to  know  that  with  the  nineteenth 
century  there  passed  away  the  disposition  to  accept 
assertion  for  proof.  We  write  "assertion"  because 
most  of  the  above-mentioned  books  do  not  attempt  to 
give  proofs,  but  simply  assert  and  assert  and  then 
turn  and  assert  that  their  assertions  are  true.  Let 
the  reader  now  take  up  any  leading  encyclopedia  and 
read  the  first  few  paragraphs  under  the  article  "Mor- 
mons," and  see  how  they  utterly  fail  to  give  proof. 
Some  assert  that  Joseph  Smith  was  "lazy  and  vicious 
and  sprang  from  a  family  of  the  same  sort,"  but  fail 
to  give  us  the  proof.  Others  assert  that  he  "was  a 
thief,"  but  fail  to  give  us  the  proof.  Others  assert 
that  he  was  a  money-digger,  but  fail  to  give  us  the 
proof.  Others  state  that  he  copied  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon from  Solomon  Spalding's  manuscript,  but  fail  to 
give  us  the  proof.  Others  say  that  he  taught  and 
practiced  polygamy,  but  fail  to  give  us  the  proof. 

All  of  these  stories,  these  assertions,  have  been 
answered,  no  doubt,  a  thousand  times,  and  that,  too, 
before  they  appeared  in  the  more  recent  works.  It  is 
hardly  possible  that  the  denials  should  not  have  been 
seen  by  these  publishers,  and  yet  they  fail  even  to 
mention  that  Latter  Day  Saints  deny  these  assertions. 
What  may  be  said  of  histories  and  encyclopedias 
may  also  largely  be  said  of  other  books  that  mention 
these  matters. 


24  JOSEPH   SMITH 

In  order  to  build  a  lasting  structure  of  any  kind,  it 
is  necessary  to  clear  away  the  rubbish  first  and  get 
down  to  bedrock.  So  in  this  matter  we  desire  to 
make  another  attempt,  which  may  be  called  the 
"thousand  and  first,"  to  clear  away  the  vile  rubbish 
stories  that  we  may  get  down  to  the  bedrock  of  truth. 
It  would  be  of  little  use  to  offer  proof,  however  con- 
clusive, to  those  whose  minds  are  full  of  evil  stories 
to  the  contrary.  They  may  honestly  believe  the 
stories  to  be  true  and  therefore  shut  up  their  minds 
against  anything  else;  or,  if  listening  at  all,  do  so 
with  considerable  reluctance  and  disfavor.  True,  we 
may  proceed  with  the  affirmative  argument  and  pay 
no  regard  to  vile  stories  and  silly  yarns.  So,  also, 
might  a  man  build  a  house  on  the  sand  or  rubbish, 
but  the  washing  away  of  the  sand  or  the  decay  of  the 
rubbish  would  reveal  his  folly  in  a  fallen  structure. 
We  think  it  best  to  answer  these  stories  first,  or,  at 
least,  enough  of  them  to  reveal  the  uselessness  of  the 
others,  so  that  the  reader  may  himself  clear  his  mind 
of  the  others.  Then  what  may  follow  can  be  more 
clearly  viewed  and  with  less  prejudice. 

About  the  first  cry  that  greets  our  ears  where  we 
have  not  been  properly  heard  before  is,  "Old  Joe 
Smith  the  false  prophet!"  But  was  he  a  false 
prophet?  Such  argument  (?)  as  that  is  not  apt  to 
convince  many  of  the  followers  of  Joseph  Smith  that 
they  are  really  following  a  false  prophet.  If  he  was, 
let  it  be  proven  and  not  merely  asserted.  But  it  can 
not  be  proven  or  the  proofs  would  have  been  pub- 
lished long  ago.  Some  sickly  attempts  have  been 
made  by  misquoting  and  misconstruing  the  words  of 
Mr.  Smith,  but  Fu^h  work  is  not  very  convincing  to 


JOSEPH   SMITH  25 

those  who  know  the  facts.  Few  indeed  are  the 
kindly  efforts  put  forth  to  convince  the  Latter  Day 
Saints  of  their  error.  Many  writers  seem  to  aim  at 
nothing  more  than  to  cover  up  the  facts  and  then 
sneer  at  those  whom  they  have  wronged.  Sneering 
and  ridiculing  are  from  beneath  and  the  Devil  always 
uses  them  against  those  who  are  opposed  to  his  prin- 
ciples. No  one  should  indulge  in  such  work  except 
the  disciples  of  his  Satanic  Majesty.  Indeed,  no 
others  do  that  kind  of  work.  Many  who  are  thus 
sneered  or  howled  at  are  strangers  in  the  community 
and  have  feelings  the  same  as  other  people.  Alas ! 
that  man  should  so  deal  with  his  brother.  What  good 
does  it  do  one  man  to  wound  the  feelings  of  another? 
But  to  the  point,  "Was  Joseph  Smith  a  false 
prophet?" 

To  answer  that  question  we  might  ask,  "What 
false  prophecy  did  he  utter?"  Let  his  accusers  pro- 
duce it  or  cease  their  accusations.  If  he  uttered 
prophecies  that  came  true,  then  he  was  a  true 
prophet;  if  he  uttered  prophecies  that  failed,  then  he 
was  a  false  prophet;  if  he  uttered  no  prophecies  at 
all,  then  he  was  not  a  prophet  at  all  in  any  sense, 
either  true  or  false.  But  he  is  charged  with  being  a 
false  prophet.  Let  us  have  the  proof,  please.  We 
hope  to  present  full  many  that  did  come  true  ere  we 
rest  our  pen.  So  far,  the  enemies  have  failed  to  pre- 
sent the  false  one.  Their  case  is  evidently  lost.  The 
word  "false"  should  in  some  way  be  connected  with 
those  who  falsely  accuse  the  innocent,  and  cause 
them  thereby  to  suffer.  In  such  case  it  would  read 
something  like  this: 


26  JOSEPH  SMITH 

I  will  be  a  swift  witness  against  .  .  .  false  swearers.— Mala- 
chi3:5. 

Or  this  one : 

False  accusers,  incontinent,  fierce,  despisers  of  those  that  are 
good.  Now  as  Jannes  and  Jambres  withstood  Moses,  so  do 
these  also  resist  the  truth:  men  of  corrupt  minds,  reprobate 
concerning  the  faith.  But  they  shall  proceed  no  further: 
for  their  folly  shall  be  manifest  unto  all  men.— 2  Timothy 
3:3,8,9. 

If  this  cry  came  always  from  the  rabble,  we  could 
expect  nothing  else;  or,  if  it  came  always  from  those 
who  make  no  religious  profession  it  would  not  be  so 
bad,  but  it  is  a  shame  that  it  comes  too  often  from  the 
churchman  and  frequently  from  the  clergy. 

That  we  may  the  more  easily  determine  the  spirit 
operating  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  employ  this  kind 
of  tactics  to  bless  (?)  the  supposed  erring,  let  us  sup- 
pose that  a  Methodist  was  to  arrive  a  stranger  in 
some  town  or  village  and  immediately  the  cry  was  to 
salute  his  ears,  "Old  Jack  Wesley,  the  ranter!" 
What  would  be  his  feelings  when  the  tables  were 
turned?  Or  suppose  the  case  was  the  same,  only  the 
man  was  a  Baptist,  and  his  ears  were  filled  with  the 
cry,  "Old  Roger  Williams,  the  dipper!"  Or  still 
another,  a  member  of  the  so-called  Christian  Church, 
is  offered  this  malediction,  "Old  Aleck  Campbell,  the 
spouter!"  All  of  these  expressions  come  from  one 
source  not  hard  to  determine.  Shame,  shame,  that 
such  things  should  exist  in  our  fair  land  among  the 
brothers  of  one  common  family!  Rather  let  us 
reclaim  those  whom  we  think  to  be  fn  error  with 
kindness. 

Just  why  Joseph  Smith  is  called  "Old  Joe"  when 


JOSEPH  SMITH  27 

he  was  the  youngest  of  all  the  reformers,  though  he 
was  more  of  a  restorer  than  a  reformer,  and  but 
thirty -eight  and  a  half  years  old  when  he  was  killed, 
is  one  of  the  mysteries.  Not  only  was  he  called  all 
manner  of  hard  and  ridiculous  names,  but  all  kind  of 
evil  and  all  kind  of  ridiculous  things  were  attributed 
to  him  which  if  he  performed  the  one  half,  would 
have  given  him  no  time  for  sleep  or  rest,  while  in  the 
next  breath  he  is  called  lazy  and  indolent.  However, 
there  is  a  point  in  all  this  that  must  not  be  over- 
looked. It  is  brought  out  more  fully  in  the  saying  of 
Jesus  in  the  "Sermon  on  the  Mount" : 

"Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  revile  you,  and 
persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil 
against  you  falsely,  for  my  sake." 

This  text  proves,  if  it  proves  anything  at  all,  that 
all  true  servants  of  God  would  be  persecuted. 

"It  is  impossible  but  that  offenses  will  come:  but 
woe  unto  him,  through  whom  they  come!" 

Inasmuch  as  Satan  has  set  himself  to  oppose  the 
work  of  God  in  all  the  world,  what  else  could  we 
expect?  It  may  be  depended  upon  that  he  will  do 
everything  possible  to  overthrow  the  truth.  Know- 
ing this,  Jesus  said,  "Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall 
.  .  .  persecute  you,  .  .  .  falsely,  for  my  sake."  Till 
Satan  is  bound  in  the  bottomless  pit  we  may  be  sure 
that  he  will  be  found  at  his  old  trade.  He  has  had 
almost  six  thousand  years  of  experience  among  men 
and  must  be  about  perfect  in  his  line  of  work.  He 
knows  the  weak  points  in  humanity  as  well  as  every 
man.  The  only  wonder  is  that  man  has  not  yet 
learned  to  detect  him  in  his  snares.  Many  do  not 


28  JOSEPH  SMITH 

seem  to  realize  that  where  the  brightest  truth  is  there 
the  Devil  will  send  the  most  of  his  darkest  imps. 

"Where'er  the  Lord  erects  a  house  of  prayer, 
The  Devil  always  builds  an  altar  there." 

When  we  see  a  number  of  bees  swarming  around  a 
flower,  we  know  that  they  want  to  rob  it  of  its  honey. 
When  we  see  a  number  of  imps  swarming  around  a 
person  why  can  we  not  reason  as  clearly?  When  we 
hear  so  many  ridiculous  and  contradictory  stories 
about  any  one  why  can  we  not  see  that  the  imps 
have  been  about  their  master's  business?  We  do  not 
refer  to  the  accusers  of  Joseph  Smith  as  imps,  but 
the  evil  stories  and  bare  assertions  of  some  very 
much  resemble  the  kind  of  work  one  would  expect 
the  imps  to  perform. 

So  it  was  with  Joseph  Smith.  The  evil  one  did  his 
very  worst  to  overcome  him  and  destroy  his  influence 
because  he  knew  that  the  principles  of  Mr.  Smith 
were  in  direct  opposition  to  his  own. 

Perhaps  no  deeper  laid  scheme  was  ever  hatched 
in  his  council-chambers,  and  certainly  none  of  more 
diabolical  dimensions  than  the  one  he  perpetrated  on 
Joseph  Smith  and  the  Latter  Day  Saints.  First 
attacking  the  Church  from  without  and  falsely  charg- 
ing her  with  special  crimes,  such  as  polygamy,  dis- 
loyalty to  the  laws  of  the  land,  etc.,  and  afterward 
attacking  the  Church  from  within  and  after  leading 
many  away  to  the  valleys  of  the  Rocky  Mountains 
persuaded  those  thus  led  away  to  indorse  and  prac- 
tice those  very  evils  as  a  part  of  their  faith.  Thus  it 
was  and  is  easy  to  think  that  those  reports  of  disloy- 
alty and  polygamy  were  probably  true.  Hence  we 


JOSEPH   SMITH  29 

said,  "No  deeper  laid  scheme  was  ever  hatched  in 
satanic  council-chambers."  Fortunately,  however, 
Joseph  Smith  is  on  record  many  times  in  direct  oppo- 
sition to  those  evils.  So  also  was  the  whole  Church  up 
until  the  time  of  his  death.  The  law  and  rules  of  the 
Church  were  very  positive  in  that  regard  as  we  shall 
presently  see. 

May  heaven  pity  the  church  attacked  by  maddened 
beasts  without,  and  ravening  wolves  within.  But 
know  that  through  all  this,  kind  reader,  that  part  of 
the  Church  which  kept  the  faith -that  part  which 
refused  to  go  to  Utah  or  accept  Brigham  Young  as  a 
leader — has  stood  faithful  to  virtue  and  has  been  the 
most  active  opponents  polygamy  has  ever  had  on  this 
or  any  other  land,  while  those  who  have  disgraced 
the  fair  name  of  the  Church  and  caused  her  to  suffer 
contumely  and  wrong  at  the  hands  of  men  every- 
where, have  been  "plucked  up  and  sent  -away  out  of 
the  land"  where  once  they  lived  and  prospered,  as 
Joseph  Smith  prophesied  concerning  the  rebellious, 
and  have  inhabited  ""the  'parched  places  in  the  wil- 
derness, in  a  salt  land  and  not  inhabited."  (See 
Jeremiah  17:5,  6.) 

Though  "a  lie  may  girdle  the  earth  while  truth  is 
getting  on  her  boots,"  yet  truth  is  a  mighty  con- 
queror and  has  always  won  at  the  end.  For  this 
reason  we  do  not  fear  but  that  the  truth  concerning 
Joseph  Smith  will  sometime  be  known.  Indeed  we 
are  evan  now  beginning  to  see  all  about  us  that  error 
is  dying  "amid  her  worshipers."  It  might  be 
expected  then  that  error  in  her  dying  struggles  would 
make  desperate  efforts  to  hold  on  to  life.  As  truth 
is  beginning  to  gain,  it  is  not  wonderful  that  Miss 


SO  JOSEPH  SMITH 

Helen  Gould  should  subscribe  several  thousand  dol- 
lars to  fight  Mormonism,  otherwise  a  good  and  gen- 
erous woman,  but  deceived  by  the  clergy  of  to-day 
without  knowing  that  they  are  using  her  money  to 
fight  good,  respectable  people  as  well  as  Utah  Mor- 
monism. Nor  is  it  wonderful  that  the  so-called 
Christian  Church  has  organized  to  oppose  the  Reor- 
ganized Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints. 
Their  effort  is  significant  that  truth  is  gaining  on 
them. 

The  clergy  led  the  way  in  the  persecution  and  the 
laity  followed.  Now  the  laity  are  beginning  to  feel 
after  the  truth  and  the  clergy  must  follow.  While 
they  will  not  cease  to  persecute  Mr.  Smith  and  his 
people  no  doubt,  yet  they  will  not  hesitate  to  accept 
his  doctrine  piece  by  piece.  Though  they  are  slow  to 
tell  where  they  obtained  the  new  truths,  yet  it  is  a 
fact  that  every  religious  advancement  made  in  the 
churches  in  the  last  seventy- five  years  has  come 
nearer  the  principles  advocated  by  Joseph  Smith.  In 
almost  every  church  to-day  new  doctrines  exist  that 
are  purely  Latter  Day  Saint  in  their  character.  We 
are  glad  to  see  the  world  being  benefited  by  Mr. 
Smith's  teachings,  though  many  have  received  it 
unconscious  of  its  origin;  to-day  many  of  the 
advanced  thinkers  are  more  nearly  in  harmony  with 
Joseph  Smith  than  they  were  many  years  ago. 

One  cause  for  the  merciless  persecution  heaped 
upon  Joseph  Smith  was  that  he  thought  far  ahead  of 
his  time. 


JOSEPH  SMITH  31 


CHAPTER   III. 

AMERICAN  CLERGY  OFTEN  OF  THE  SAME  STAMP  AS  BUDDHIST 
PRIESTS— WHY  DO  CLERGY  KEEP  HEARERS  IN  THE  DARK? — 
ERROR  MAY  WELL  FEAR  THE  LIGHT. — JESUS'  PROPHECY: 
PROPHETS  TO  BE  KILLED — How  TO  TELL  TRUE  FROM  FALSE 
PROPHETS— DESIRE  JOSEPH  SMITH  TRIED  BY  His  WORKS— 
NOT  GUILTY  OF  REPORTED  EVILS— TESTED  IN  THE  COURTS — 
RUMOR  NOT  PROOF— JOSEPH  SMITH  WALKING  ON  THE  WATER 
—OTHER  STORIES— THEIR  PURPOSE  AND  ORIGIN. 

A  LADY  missionary  returning  from  Japan  delivered  ^ 
a  lecture  in  the  Baptist  church  at  Barneveld,  Wi 
consin,  several  years  ago,  in  which  she  said: 

One  of  the  greatest  hindrances  we  meet  in  Japan  is,  the  com- 
mon people  do  not  understand  us,  and  the  Buddhist  priests  mis- 
represent us,  our  religion  and  its  founder  every  opportunity 
they  get.  They  are  the  more  active  if  they  think  we  are  about 
to  make  an  impression  on  some  of  their  members.  They  will 
tell  their  hearers  that  "Jesus  was  a  bad  man,  and  an  illigiti- 
mate  child;  that  he  taught  the  people  not  to  work,  to  let  the 
morrow  look  out  for  itself,  also  that  his  followers  were  low  and 
ignorant  and  lived  altogether  in  one  place  and  had  all  things 
common  including  their  wives."  The  most  ridiculous  stories 
are  told  about  us,  and  people  of  course  believe  them  because 
they  have  never  been  told  differently.  We  are  therefore  looked 
upon  with  suspicion,  and  when  we  do  get  one  to  see  the  truth  he 
will  often  say,  "I  did  not  know  that  Jesus  was  the  son  of  God  or 
even  a  good  man.  The  priests  have  told  us  differently.  I 
thought  you  were  bad  people  and  not  good  to  associate  with." 

There  were  present  at  that  lecture,  two  representa- 
tives of  the  Reorganized  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter  Day  Saints.  They  could  see  at  a  glance  how 


32  JOSEPH   SMITH 

much  the  work  of  the  priests  in  Japan  was  like  the 
work  of  the  American  clergy  in  more  respects  than 
one;  how  like  the  persecution  heaped  upon  the  Lat- 
ter Day  Saints  and  their  earthly  leader  in  perhaps 
more  enlightened  America  by  overly  religious  (?) 
hirelings.  The  likeness  is  especially  striking  if  the 
clergy  think  there  is  a  possibility  of  some  of  their 
members  seeking  for  more  light  and  finding  it  out- 
side of  their  flocks.  After  all,  human  nature  is  about 
the  same  everywhere,  whether  in  Japan  or  America, 
and  the  Devil's  work  is  similar  among  all  nations. 

After  the  lecture,  the  missionary  extended  the 
privilege  to  ask  questions  if  any  one  desired  to  do  so. 
One  of  the  elders  before  referred  to  asked : 

"Do  you  think  those  priests  in  Japan  had  any 
degree  at  all  of  the  Spirit  of  God  when  they  were 
misrepresenting  the  Christian  religion  and  its  foun- 
der?" 

Looking  a  little  puzzled  as  to  why  such  a  queer 
question  should  be  asked,  she  replied : 

"No,  certainly  not.  They  know  nothing  whatever 
of  the  Spirit  of  God." 

She  was  then  asked : 

"If  the  same  thing  should  be  practiced  in  this 
country  would  you  not  come  to  the  same  conclu- 
sion?" 

Thinking  no  doubt  that  the  question  was  striking 
at  infidelity,  her  face  brightened  and  with  a  cadence 
in  her  voice  she  said : 

"I  think  I  would." 

The  elder  then  informed  her  that  he  represented 
"the  principles  advocated  by  Joseph  Smith  and  that  he 
found  the  very  same  difficulty  in  this  country  that 


JOSEPH  SMITH  bS 

she  had  found  in  Japan.  Like  she,  he  was  far  from 
believing  that  such  work  was  actuated  by  the  Spirit 
of  God. 

No  reply  was  made.  None  was  needed.  The 
least  said  at  that  particular  time  would  the  sooner 
show  her  contempt  toward  the  "emissary  of  Joseph 
Smith." 

We  have  often  wondered  why  a  minister  will  object 
to  his  members  hearing  something  besides  their  own 
faith.  Is  it  because  he  knows  theirs  will  not  bear 
comparison?  Does  he  think  more  of  his  salary  than 
of  the  souls  of  his  hearers?  Or  is  he  afraid  that  they 
might  obtain  elsewhere  some  truth  which  he  is 
incapable  of  bringing  to  them?  Perhaps  he  considers 
their  minds  too  weak  to  judge  between  right  and 
wrong?  What  an  insult  to  one's  intellect!  What 
egotism  on  the  part  of  the  minister !  So  he  says  to 
his  hearers:  "I  know  more  than  you,  so  you  must 
only  go  where  I  permit  you.  The  best  way  to  gain 
knowledge  is  not  to  seek  for  it." 

It  must  be  confessed  that  that  is  the  best  way  to 
overcome  truth,  but  it  is  not  very  lasting.  In  this 
enlightened  age  of  the  world  it  is  not  so  effectual  as 
formerly.  Men  do  not  now  propose  to  be  kept  in 
ignorance.  Men  have  grown  tired  of  drinking  the 
milk  and  letting  the  priest  have  the  cream.  Such 
procedure  on  the  part  of  the  clergy  is  a  certain  sign 
of  weakness  and  is  sure  sooner  or  later  to  destroy 
their  influence  when  the  truth  is  found  out. 

The  minister  who  persists  in  circulating  evil  stories 
against  Joseph  Smith  is  sure  sooner  or  later  to  come 
to  grief  when  he  meets  the  facts,  or  else  he  will  be 
compelled  to  run  and  hide.  The  only  way  to  over- 


34  JOSEPIT  SMITH 

come  the  work  of  Joseph  Smith  or  any  other  man  is 
to  meet  it  face  to  face  and  honorably,  justly,  and 
truly  show  up  the  error  if  there  be  such. 

No  one  in  the  right  need  fear  an  error.  One  in 
error  may  well  shun  the  light. 

Some  one  may  ask,  "As  there  is  so  much  said 
against  Joseph  Smith,  is  there  not  'a  little  fire  where 
there  is  so  much  smoke?'  " 

While  much  is  said  against  him,  much  is  also  said 
for  him.  We  may  suggest  to  those  who  desire  to  ask 
such  questions,  that  it  would  be  well  to  look  for 
themselves.  A  second  look  will  reveal  the  fact  that 
it  is  not  smoke  at  all,  so  do  not  be  frightened  of  fire. 
Some  one  has  been  throwing  dust  into  the  air  to 
blind  the  public,  that  is  all;  and  many  in  their  hurry 
to  get  away  from  the  supposed  fire  do  not  stop  to  see 
whether  it  is  really  smoke  or  not,  and  hence  appear 
very  ridiculous  running  from  dust  for  fear  of  fire. 

It  certainly  appears  when  one  person  declares  one 
story,  and  some  one  else  contradicts  it,  and  others 
contradict  the  latter  as  also  themselves,  there  is  not 
enough  fire  even  to  make  a  smoke.  Let  the  reader 
take  up  any  of  the  works  written  against  Joseph 
Smith  and  notice  how  each  one  declares  his  to  be  the 
only  true  account  and  the  others  unreliable,  while 
Bancroft,  the  great  American  historian,  says,  "Most 
of  these  books  are  wholly  unreliable  as  to  facts  but 
were  written  to  derive  profit  by  pandering  to  a  vitiated 
public's  taste." 

When  so  much  was  said  in  the  early  centuries  con- 
cerning our  Savior,  and  Peter,  and  Paul,  in  fact 
every  man  of  God,  it  did  not  indicate  that  part  of  it 


JOSEPH  SMITH  35 

was  true.  Neither -does  it  prove  that  part  of  what  is 
said  against  Joseph  Smith  is  true. 

It  is  true  if  true,  and  false  if  false,  whether  much 
or  little. 

What  we  want  is  not  what  some  one  says  but  why 
they  say  it.  We  want  the  proof. 

"What  everybody  says  must  be  true,"  may  some- 
times be  a  correct  adage,  but  everybody  does  not  say 
Joseph  Smith  was  a  bad  man.  There  are  thousands 
throughout  the  civilized  world  who  are  ready  to  tes- 
tify on  the  other  side  of  the  question.  Those  who 
knew  him  best  loved  him  most.  At  the  proper  time 
and  in  the  proper  place  we  shall  show  that  religious 
zealots  were  his  worst  opposers,  while  doctors, 
lawyers,  statesmen,  and  judges  admired  him  for  his 
virtues. 

By  careful  reading  it  will  be  seen  that  the  chief 
reason  why  so  many  rejected  Jesus  as  the  Messiah 
was  because  they  mistook  reputation  for  character. 
Reputation  is  what  is  said  about  a  man,  character  is 
what  he  really  is.  Many  to-day  are  making  the  same 
mistake  concerning  Joseph  Smith. 

Jesus'  words  to  the  Jews  are  equally  applicable 
to-day: 

Ye  build  the  sepulchers  of  the  prophets,  and  your  fathers 
killed  them.  Truly  ye  bear  witness  that  ye  allow  the  deeds  of 
your  fathers:  .  .  .  and  ye  build  their  sepulchers.  Therefore 
also  said  the  wisdom  of  God,  I  will  send  them  prophets  and 
apostles,  and  some  of  them  they  shall  slay  and  persecute. — 
Luke  11:  47-49. 

This  would  seem  almost  a  prophecy  of  our  time, 
especially  the  latter  clause;  but  whether  that  or  not, 
many  like  the  Jews  are  ready  to  garnish  the  tombs  of 


36  JOSEPH  SMITH 

dead  prophets  and  as  ready  to  kill  the  present  ones, 
because  they  mistake  reputation  for  character." 

Many  flatter  themselves  that  they  are  really 
judging  Joseph  Smith  by  his  works  and  are  con- 
stantly referring  us  to  Matthew  7: 15,  16,  which  reads 
as  follows:  "Beware  of  false  prophets,  which  come 
to  you  in  sheep's  clothing,  but  inwardly  they  are 
ravening  wolves.  Ye  shall  know  them  by  their 
fruits." 

Let  us  examine  this  text  a  little.  Surely  no  one 
will  complain  because  we  desire  to  examine  the  word 
of  God. 

This  text  bids  us  beware  of  false  prophets  but  not 
true  ones.  Or  why  the  addition,  "Ye  shall  know 
them  by  their  fruits"?  Evidently  that  we  might 
judge  between  the  two.  Two?  Yes,  two.  There  is 
evidently  a  true  prophet  in  the  consideration  to  make 
the  other  one  of  the  two.  There  is  no  escaping  that 
conclusion.  But  our  opposer  sees  the  point,  no 
doubt,  just  now,  and  doubtless  desires  to  drop  the 
matter.  We,  however,  do  not  desire  to  drop  it  until 
we  shall  have  embellished  the  points  in  our  favor, 
for  really  every  point  in  this  text  is  in  our  favor. 

Let  us  notice  what  Jesus  did  not  say,,  that  this  text 
may  not  be  used  again  by  our  opposers.  He  does 
not  say,  "All  coming  after  me  claiming  to  be  proph- 
ets will  be  false  ones,  for  true  prophets  ended  with 
John.  Therefore  beware!"  He  did  not  say  there 
were  to  be  no  true  prophets  after  his  time,  for  the 
simple  reason  that  he  gave  a  rule  to  tell  the  true  from 
the  false.  This  reference  indicates  therefore  that 
there  were  to  be  true  prophets  and  that  they  were  to 
be  known  by  their  fruits. 


JOSEPH  SMITH  37 

We  are  very  willing  that  this  rule  should  be  applied 
to  Joseph  Smith.  We  are  willing  that  he  be  judged 
by  his  own  works.  Nay,  more,  we  are  anxious  that 
he  be  so  tried.  We  do  not  fear  the  result  of  a  can- 
did, impartial  trial.  But  we  wish  to  assure  the 
reader  that  his  work,  his  fruits,  are  to  be  tried,  and 
not  what  some  one  said  was  his. 

Some  one  will  say,  no  doubt,  judging  from  popular 
opinion,  "Surely  polygamy,  blood-atonement,  rob- 
bery, lying,  stealing,  and  like  things  are  enough  to 
condemn  him."  Yes,  a  thousand  times  yes.  If  he 
was  really  guilty  of  one  or  all  of  these  crimes  he 
should  be  condemned.  But  was  he  guilty?  Simply 
to  assert  that  he  was,  does  not  prove  it.  We  say  no, 
emphatically  no,  as  all  his  life-work  and  all  his 
teachings  show,  many  of  which  we  shall  subse- 
quently furnish. 

Diligent  search  has  been  made  by  both  friend  and 
foe  and  we  have  yet  to  learn  of  the  first  man  who 
could  furnish  the  proof  to  prove  him  a  bad  man. 
Many  disinterested  parties  have  said  that  he  was  the 
best  man  in  many  respects  they  ever  knew. 

Very  many  are  clamoring  to  tell  something  they 
heard,  or  something  their  friend  or  cousin  or  distant 
relative  heard  that  some  one  else  heard  that  some- 
body told  them  that  it  was  reported  that  Joseph 
Smith  was  a  bad  man.  Such  testimony  is  not 
admissible  in  the  courts  of  any  civilized  or  even 
a  semicivilized  country.  Is  it  possible  that  peo- 
ple will  allow  themselves  to  be  deceived  by  such 
evidence? 

Not  only  was  he  not  guilty  of  any  crime,  but  he 
was  not  guilty  of  any  low,  lustful,  deceptive,  trifling, 


38  JOSEPH  SMITH 

or  unmanly  acts.  He  was  one  of  the  highest  type  of 
honorable,  upright,  intelligent  men,  and  a  Christian 
in  the  truest  sense.  How  little  and  contemptible 
then  the  oft-repeated  story  told  by  a  lady  (?)  who 
walked  several  miles  one  time  to  tell  one  of  the  rep- 
resentatives of  the  Latter  Day  Saints  something  she 
said  she  wanted  him  to  know.  The  elder  expressing 
a  willingness  to  listen  she  proceeded  to  say  that  she 
knew  about  "Joe  Smith  at  Nauvoo  trying  to  walk  on 
the  water."  That  "two  of  her  brothers' were  among 
others  that  removed  one  of  certain  planks  which 
Joseph  Smith  had  previously  arranged  a  few  inches 
under  the  water,  on  which  he  proposed  to  walk  and 
thus  show  them  a  miracle."  That  she  was  "present 
the  next  Sunday  when  he  attempted  his  deception 
and  saw  him  fall  in  the  water  and  get  wet  when  he 
came  to  the  missing  plank  which  the  boys  had 
removed."  That  she  "heard  him  say  his  faith 
failed  him  was  the  reason  he  went  under." 

She  was  asked  if  her  brothers  were  older  or 
younger  than  she  and  she  said  they  were  both 
younger.  After  a  little  further  conversation,  the 
elder  expressing  his  appreciation  at  meeting  a  living 
witness  of  that  event,  she  was  asked  her  age,  and  she 
said  she  was  born  in  1843.  The  minister  informed 
her  that  Joseph  Smith  was  killed  in  1844  and  that  she 
could  scarcely  remember  so  well  events  that  hap- 
pened when  she  was  only  one  year  old,  and  that  her 
brothers  could  scarcely  have  been  born  at  that  time. 

Reader,  would  you  expect  the  friends  of  Joseph 
Smith  to  believe  such  testimony?  If  that  woman  was 
the  only  one  who  had  told  that  story  we  would  almost 
feel  ashamed  to  refer  to  it  here.  But  silly  as  it  is 


JOSEPH  SMITH  39 

there  is  some  one  ready  to  tell  it  in  almost  every 
neighborhood  and  upon  no  better  authority.  For 
some  unaccountable  reason  they  forget  that  less 
credulous  people  would  ask  how  it  was  that  Mr. 
Smith  could  see  the  planks  while  others  standing  by 
could  not.  But  then  he  was  sometimes  called  a  seer 
and  that  perhaps  (?)  was  the  reason,  and  yet  with 
his  superior  sight  he  could  not  see  where  the  plank 
was  missing.  He  could  see  the  sides  so  as  not  to  step 
off  but  could  not  see  the  end.  Somehow  they  fail  to 
consider  the  depth  of  the  Mississippi  River  where  the 
deception  is  said  to  have  taken  place,  the  length  and 
size  of  the  supports  necessary  to  support  the  planks 
and  a  man  of  two  hundred  and  twelve  pounds  weight 
and  at  the  same  time  resisting  a  current  of  from  four 
to  twelve  miles  an  hour,  as  also  the  steamboats  and 
various  rafts  of  logs  and  lumber  that  passed  down 
the  river  at  that  iime  almost  hourly.  There  were  no 
railroads  in  that  day  perhaps  within  a  thousand  miles 
of  Nauvoo  and  the  river  being  in  the  heart  of  the 
country  was  the  chief  means  of  transportation.  And 
yet  Joseph  Smith's  foot-bridge  was  able  to  withstand 
it  all.  Notwithstanding  all  that,  some  small  boys 
could  remove  a  part  of  it. 

What  a  pity  Mr.  Smith  could  not  have  lived  to  have 
erected  foot-bridges  every  few  miles  along  the  Miss- 
issippi and  other  large  rivers!  People  often  make 
him  to  be  a  more  wonderful  man  by  their  wonderful 
stories  than  his  best  friends  ever  dreamed  of.  It 
commonly  occurs  that  those  in  the  neighborhood 
whose  word  would  scarcely  be  taken  on  any  other 
matter  would  be  believed  at  once  if  they  should  tell 


40  JOSEPH   SMITH 

some  vile   or  ridiculous   story  on   Joseph   Smith   or 
some  Latter  Day  Saint. 

While  the  above  story  is  only  one  of  the  many  told 
to  overthrow  the  work  of  Joseph  Smith  and  cause  it 
to  look  contemptible  in  the  eyes  of  the  people,  yet  if 
a  few  simple  questions  were  asked  and  a  little  reason 
used  no  one  need  be  deceived  by  any  of  them,  but 
would  at  once  discover  their  purpose  and  origin. 


JOSEPH  SMITH  41 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  FAMILY  OF  JOSEPH  SMITH— NONE  OF  THEM  WENT  TO  UTAH- 
WIDOW  SMITH  MARRIES  MAJOR  L.  C.  BIDAMON — "NAUVOO 
INDEPENDENT"  ON  HER  DEATH— MAJOR  BIDAMON  DID  NOT 
BELIEVE  JOSEPH  SMITH  WAS  A  POLYGAMIST— BIDAMON  NOT  A 
CHURCH  MEMBER— MRS.  SMITH-BIDAMON  TESTIFIES  THAT 
HER  HUSBAND  HAD  NO  OTHER  WIFE  BUT  HER — BRIGHAM 
YOUNG  AND  ALLIES  THE  ONLY  WITNESSES— TEACHING  OF 
JOSEPH  SMITH  AND  TEACHING  OF  BRIGHAM  YOUNG  WIDELY 
DIFFER— OHIO  COURTS  SHOW  THE  DIFFERENCE— MORMONS 
NOT  SUCCESSOR  TO  JOSEPH  SMITH— PRINCIPAL  DIFFERENCES 
DEFINED  —  MORMONS  DARE  NOT  MEET  THE  ISSUE  —  JUDGE 
PHILIPS  DECIDES  THAT  POLYGAMY  ORIGINATED  IN  UTAH  — 
RULE  OF  MARRIAGE  UNDER  JOSEPH  SMITH — THE  MARRIAGE 
FORMULA  —  JOSEPH  SMITH  AND  BROTHER  DENOUNCED 
POLYGAMY  AS  A  CRIME— KANSAS  CITY  "TIMES"  ON  THE  DIF- 
FERENCE—ONE HUNDRED  DOLLARS  OFFERED  TO  ANY  ONE 
WHO  CAN  PROVED  JOSEPH  SMITH  A  POLYGAMIST,  DISHONEST, 
OR  UNPATRIOTIC— JOSEPH  SMITH  ON  MORALITY— No  STAND- 
ARD OF  MORALITY  HIGHER. 

JOSEPH  SMITH  was  a  man  greatly  loved  by  his  peo- 
ple, and  a  man  who  greatly  loved  them.  He  fully 
merited  their  regard  for  him  in  every  respect  and 
never  at  any  time  betrayed  their  confidence.  His 
heart  went  out  in  great  compassion  for  the  poor  and 
afflicted.  His  old  neighbors  often  yet  speak  of  see- 
ing him  morning  after  morning  with  a  basket  on  his 
arm  carrying  food  to  the  hungry  and  administering 
to  the  wants  of  the  sick.  He  was  equally  kind  in 
other  ways  to  those  in  better  circumstances  and  never 
seemed  to  be  more  happy  than  when  doing  good 


42  JOSEPH   SMITH 

to  others.  He  was  especially  kind  to  his  family,  not 
one  of  whom,  be  it  said  to  their  credit,  ever  accepted 
the  vile  doctrines  of  Brigham  Young.  Not  one  of 
them  emigrated  to  Utah.  His  family  consisted  of  a 
wife  and  four  sons:  Joseph,  Alexander,  Frederick, 
and  David.  Mrs.  Smith  some  years  after  the  death 
of  her  husband,  married  a  man  by  the  name  and  title 
of  Major  L.  C.  Bidamon.  With  her  latter  husband 
she  continued  to  live  at  Nauvoo  and  vicinity  where 
she  raised  her  family  to  manhood.  In  1860  Joseph, 
the  eldest,  succeeded  his  father  as  President  of  the 
Church,  which  position  he  now  holds.  Perhaps  no 
man  in  all  the  world's  history  has  written  half  so 
much  as  he  in  opposition  to  polygamy,  the  "twin 
relic  of  barbarism."  Two  other  of  the  sons,  Alex- 
ander and  David,  crossed  the  burning  plains  in  an 
early  day  and  attacked  that  evil  doctrine  in  the  very 
dooryard  of  Brigham  Young.  Joseph  has  since 
traveled  throughout  Utah  smiting  that  and  other 
evils  of  Brighamism  with  herculean  blows.  If  Joseph 
Smith's  sons  are  "chips  off  the  old  block,"  then  those 
who  think  he  was  a  polyga'mist  get  queer  consolation 
from  them. 

Concerning  Mrs.  Smith-Bidamon  the  Nauvoo 
Independent  published  the  following  at  the  time  of 
her  death,  which  took  place  April  30,  1879 :  j4*^j 

She  was  loved  and  respected  by  all  her  neighbors  for  her 
charitable  and  kind  disposition.  She  was  a  good  and  faithful 
wife,  a  kind  and  loving  mother,  as  the  expressions  of  her  chil- 
dren and  associates  will  verify.  If  such  a  record  as  she  has  left 
does  not  render  a  person  worthy  of  a  better  life  beyond,  it  is 
difficult  to  conceive  how  it  can  be  done.  .  .  .  The  assembly  was 
large;  almost  every  one  knew  Mrs.  Bidamon,  some  intimately 
and  for  many  years;  some  but  for  a  few  months,  but  it  is  safe  to 


JOSEPH    SMITH  43 

say  that  the  respect,  esteem,  and  love  with  which  she  was 
regarded  by  all,  is  but  a  just  tribute  to  the  sterling  virtues  of 
the  woman,  wife,  and  mother,  whom  the  community  so  soberly, 
so  sadly,  and  so  tenderly,  laid  away  to  rest,  on  this  beautiful 
May  day,  by  the  side  of  the  Father  of  Waters,  the  mighty 
Mississippi. 

Reader,  imagine  if  you  can,  such  a  woman  being  a 
faithful,  undaunted  companion  of  such  a  base  impos- 
tor as  Joseph  Smith  is  said  to  have  been.  No,  it 
strikes  death  to  such  evil  stories  ^and  makes  them 
sink  into  oblivion  for  ever.  Rather  would  we  believe 
that  her  associations  with  Joseph  Smith  helped  to 
make  her  a  woman  of  "sterling  virtues,"  loved  and 
admired  by  those  who  knew  her.  Is  it  any  wonder 
that  such  a  woman  refused  to  follow  Brigham  Young 
—refused  to  accept  polygamy — refused  to  leave  her 
first  faith? 

Before  her  marriage  to  Joseph  Smith  she  was  Miss 
Emma  Hale,  a  relative  of  Chief  Justice  Hale  ("the 
honest  Miller"),  of  England,  of  whom  every  school- 
boy in  the  land  has  read  and  of  whose  justice  nearly  j 
every  boy  has  been  proud.  Is  it  not  reasonable  to  I 
suppose  that  she  partook  of  the  noble  traits  of  herf 
illustrious  predecessor?  So  much  for  Emma,  the 
only  wife  of  Joseph  Smith.  Taking  a  peep  at  him 
through  the  sterling  virtues  of  his  better  half  we  put 
his  maligners  to  shame. 

It  might  not  be  improper  here  to  hear  a  word  from 
Major  Bidamon: 

NAUVOO,  Illinois,  June  10,  1879. 

My  Dear  Mrs. :  Yours  of  the  third  inst.  was  cor- 
dially received  and  contents  noted.  In  answer  must  say  that 
I  do  not  believe  that  Joseph  Smith,  so-called  prophet,  was  a 
polygamist,  and  I  form  my  opinion  from  the  most  reliable 
seers  [sources]. 


44  JOSEPH   SMITH 

His  widow,  my  dear  wife,  always  declares  that  there  never  was 
such  a  revelation  by  him,  and  the  report  is  as  false  as  perdition; 
and,  furthermore,  she  would  not  have  lived  with  any  man  that 
practiced  polygamy  any  more  than  a  rat  would  remain  in  a 
burning  barn  ...  I  myself  never  belonged  to  any  church,  and  I 
can  look  impartially  on  both  sides. 

Yours  with  due  respect, 

L.  C.  BIDAMON. 

When  it  is  seen  that  Mr.  Bidamon  has  no  church 
bias,  his  testimony  should  have  full  weight  with 
honest  seekers  after  the  truth. 

We  desire  next  to  introduce  the  direct  testimony  of 
Mrs.  Smith  Bidamon  as  it  appears  in  many  publica- 
tions. This  testimony  was  published  many  times 
before  her  death  and  if  it  had  not  been  correct  she 
would  have  corrected  it : 

Q. — What  about  the  revelation  on  polygamy?  Did  Joseph 
Smith  have  anything  like  it?  What  of  spiritual  wifery? 

A. — There  was  no  revelation  on  either  polygamy  or  spiritual 
wifery. 

Q. — Was  there  nothing  about  spiritual  wives  that  you  recol- 
lect? 

A. — No  such  thing  as  polygamy  or  spiritual  wifery  was  taught 
privately  or  publicly  before  my  husband's  death,  that  I  have 
now  or  ever  have  had  any  knowledge  of. 

Q. — Did  he  not  have  other  wives  than  yourself? 

A.— He  had  no  other  wife  but  me,  nor  did  he  to  my  knowledge 
ever  have.  I  know  that  he  had  no  other  wife  or  wives  than 
myself  in  any  sense,  either  spiritual  >pr  otherwise. 

The  facts  are  that  Brigham  Young  in  1852,  eight 
years  after  Joseph  Smith's  death,  caused  to  be  read 
at  a  conference  held  in  Salt  Lake  City,  a  certain 
revelation  on  polygamy,  called  patriarchal  or  celes- 
tial marriage.  This  revelation,  he  said,  had  been 
given  of  God  through  Joseph  Smith  in  July,  1843,  but 


JOSEPH  SMITH  45 

• 

that  he  had  kept  it  locked  up  for  the  past  nine  years 
"under  a  patent  lock  where  there  does  not  anything 
leak  out  that  should  not."  The  report  that  Joseph 
Smith  had  received  a  revelation  sanctioning  polygamy 
is  what  Mr.  Bidamon  refers  to  in  his  letter  and  which 
he  says  is  "as  false  a*s  perdition."  Brigham  Young 
asserted  that  Mr.  Smith  had  been  so  directed,  and 
presented  in  manuscript  form  the  revelation  as  it  now 
appears  in  a  book  published  in  Salt  Lake  City  called 
Doctrine  and  Covenants,  section  132.  He  said  he 
did  not  have  the  original,  for  Emma  had  burned  it. 
Emma  says  there  was  nothing  of  the  kind.  Reader, 
which  will  you  believe,  the  woman  of  sterling  virtues, 
loved  and  respected  by  all  her  neighbors,  or  the 
notorious  Brigham?  Furthermore,  Joseph  Smith 
denounced  polygamy  as  a  crime  till  the  time  of  his 
death,  as  we  shall  presently  show.  For  the  reason 
that  Joseph  Smith  was  greatly  loved  by  his  followers, 
Brigham  tried  to  shoulder  the  doctrine  upon  him  and 
suborned  certain  old  ladies  to  declare  that  they  had 
been  the  wives  of  Joseph  Smith.  Their  testimony 
when  fully  examined  was  subsequently  rejected  in 
the  United  States  District  Court,  as  we  shall  presently 
see.  But  Brigham  could  try  to  connect  his  forgery 
with  the  evil  stories  circulated  by  the  enemies  of 
Joseph  Smith  and  thus  make  out  his  case;  this, 
together  with  certain  polygamous  women  as  wit- 
nesses, makes  up  the  case  in  full.  When  asked  how 
it  was  that  Joseph  Smith  and  his  brother  Hyrum 
denounced  polygamy  as  a  crime  up  until  the  time  of 
their  death,  Mr.  Young  and  compeers  say  he  prac- 
ticed it  in  secret  and  denied  it  openly.  Think  of  it, 
kind  reader.  Those  very  men  in  Utah  who  claim  to 


46  JOSEPH  SMITH 

revere  Joseph  Smith  as  a  man  of  God  first  make  him 
out  to  be  a  liar  and  a  hypocrite  and  then  accept  the 
revelation  as  having  come  through  him  from  God. 
If  Paul,  who  wrote  "blindness  in  part  is  happened  to 
Israel,"  was  only  now  alive,  he  could  enlarge  upon 
the  word  "part,"  for  a  people  must  be  blind  indeed 
who  will  follow  a  liar  and  a  hypocrite,  and  that,  too, 
by  their  own  admission.  Joseph  Fielding  Smith, 
latest  president  of  the  Utah  Church  and  son  of  Hyrum 
Smith,  is  compelled  to  prove  his  own  father  a  liar 
and  a  hypocrite  in  order  to  indorse  polygamy  as 
originating  with  Joseph  Smith — practiced  in  secret 
by  his  father  and  Uncle  Joseph  while  denied  by  them 
in  public.  What  a  dutiful  (?)  son!  How  his  father 
must  love  (?)  him  if  in  the  other  world  he  knows 
what  is  being  laid  afc  his  door  by  this  his  son !  Think 
again,  kind  reader,  those  very  women  in  Utah  who 
claim  to  be  the  polygamous  wives  of  Joseph  and 
Hyrum  Smith  were  also  in  league,  if  they  testify 
truly,  with  those  men  in  denying  in  public  what  they 
practiced  in  secret.  O  consistency,  consistency ! 

Many  persons  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  work  of 
Brigham  Young  was  but  the  continuation  of  the 
work  begun  by  Joseph  Smith.  But  such  persons 
have  not  given  the  matter  sufficient  investigation  to 
be  safe.  The  teachings  of  the  two  men  were  very 
different,  as  were  also  their  characters.  There  are 
few  points  where  the  two  systems  of  faith  exactly 
agree,  though  in  -  some  things  they  are  similar. 
There  is  perhaps  more  difference  between  these  two 
churches  than  any  other  two  churches  in  America. 
This  fact  is  evidenced  more  and  more  clearly  the 
more  one  reads.  It  would  be  unkind  and  ungentle- 


JOSEPH  SMITH  47 

manly  of  us  to  ridicule  or  denounce  any  one  who  dif- 
fers from  us,  even  including  the  Mormons;  besides, 
no  doubt,  there  are  many  among  them  who  are  try- 
ing as  best  they  can  to  live  according  to  the  best 
light  they  have.  It  would  be  unreasonable  to  say 
that  there  were  no  good  people  among  them ;  but  this 
much  the  facts  warrant  us  in  saying,  some  of  their 
leaders  were  vile  and  vicious  and  some  of  their 
teachings  were  shocking.  Some  of  the  teachings  of 
Brigham  Young  and  company  differed  from  the 
teachings  of  Joseph  Smith  as  far  as  could  possibly 
be — as  far  as  east  from  west,  or  black  from  white. 
We  therefore  ask  the  reader  to  keep  Utah  Mormonism 
out  of  mind.  It  was  not  the  result  of  Mr.  Smith's 
teaching.  We  would  scarcely  write  and  send  this 
statement  out  to  the  world  unless  we  had  the  proof  at 
hand.  In  fact  we  here  give  the  proofs  themselves. 
We  are  of  the  opinion  that  only  the  uninformed  or 
misinformed  will- connect  the  one  man  with  the  other, 
or  the  one  system  of  faith  with  the  other.  This  mat- 
ter has  been  fought  on  every  corner.  It  has  been 
fought  in  the  courts  of  our  country  and  each  time  it 
has  been  decided  that  the  Utah  Church  is  not  the 
successor  to  the  one  organized  by  Joseph  Smith,  and 
yet  uninformed  writers  connect  Joseph  Smith  with 
Utah  Mormonism  to  their  shame. 

We  desire  here  to  introduce  some  of  these  court 
decisions,  for  through  them  we  get  another  look  at 
Joseph  Smith  and  the  result  of  his  teachings.  We 
first  give  the  decision  of  Honorable  Judge  L.  S. 
Sherman,  in  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  Lake 
County,  Ohio,  as  may  be  found  in  the  Journal  Entry, 
February  Term,  1880: 


48  JOSEPH  SMITH  -  - 

The  court  do  find  as  matters  of  fact:  that  there  was  organized 
on  the  6th  day  of  April,  1830,  at  Palmyra,  in  the  state  of  New 
York,  by  Joseph  Smith,  a  Religious  Society,  under  the  name  of 
"The  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints,"  which  in 
the  same  year  removed  in  a  body  and  located  in  Kirtland,  Lake 
County,  Ohio;  which  said  Church  held  and  believed,  and  was 
founded  upon  certain  well-defined  doctrines,  which  were  set 
forth  in  the  Bible,  Book  of  Mormon,  and  Book  of  Doctrine  and 
Covenants. 

That  on  the  llth  day  of  February,  A,  D.  1841,  one  William 
Marks  and.  his»wife,  Rosannah,  by  "Warranty  Deed,  of  that  date, 
conveyed  to  said  Joseph  Smith  as  sole  Trustee-in-Trust  for  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints,  being  the  same 
Church  organized  as  aforesaid,  the  lands  and  tenements 
described  in  the  petition,  and  which  are  described  as  follows: 

[The  description  of  the  land  is  omitted.— EDS.] 

And  upon  said  lands  said  Church  had  erected  a  church  edifice 
known  as  the  Temple,  and  were  then  in  the  possession  and  occu- 
pancy thereof  for  religious  purposes,  and  so  continued  until  the 
disorganization  of  said  Church,  which  occurred  about  1844. 
That  the  main  body  of  said  Religious  Society  had  removed  from 
Kirtland  aforesaid,  and  were  located  at  Nauvoo,  Illinois,  in  1844, 
when  said  Joseph  Smith  died,  and  said  Church  was  disorganized 
and  the  membership  (then  being  estimated  at  about  one  hun- 
dred thousand)  scattered  in  smaller  fragments,  each  claiming  to 
be  the  original  and  true  Church  before  named,  and  located  in 
different  States  and  places. 

That  one  of  said  fragments,  estimated  at  ten  thousand, 
removed  to  the  territory  of  Utah  under  the  leadership  of 
Brigham  Young,  and  located  there,  and  with  accessions  since, 
now  constitute  the  Church  in  Utah,  under  the  leadership  and 
Presidency  of  John  Taylor,  and  is  named  as  one  of  the  defend- 
ants in  this  action. 

That  after  the  departure  of  said  fragment  of  said  Church  for 
Utah,  a  large  number  of  the  officials  and  membership  of  the 
original  Church  which  was  disorganized  at  Nauvoo,  reorganized 
under  the  name  of  the  Reorganized  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter  Day  Saints,  and  on  the  fifth  day  of  February,  1873, 
became  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  state  of  Illinois,  and 


IVOTt     t.nt..  r 

JOSEPH   SMITH  49 

since  that  time  all  other  fragments  of  said  original  Church 
(except  the  one  in  Utah)  have  dissolved,  and  the  membership 
has  largely  become  incorporated  with  said  Reorganized  Church 
which  is  the  Plaintiff  in  this  action. 

That  the  said  Plaintiff,  the  Reorganized  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints,  isa  Religious  Society,  founded 
and  organized  upon  the  same  doctrines  and  tenets,  and  having 
"Ene  same  church  organization,  as  the  original  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints,  organized  in  1830,  by  Joseph 
Smith,  and  was  organized  pursuant  to  the  constitution,  laws, 
and  usages  of  said  original  Church,  and  has  branches  located  in 
Illinois,  Ohio,  and  other  States. 

That  the  Church  in  Utah,  the  Defendant,  of  which  John  Taylor 
is  president,  has  materially  and  largely  departed  from  theFTaith, 
doctrines,  laws,  ordinances,  and  usages  of  said  original  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints,  and  has  incorporated,  into 
its_  system  of  faith  the  doctrines  of  Celestial  Marriage  and  a 
plurality  of  wives,  and  the  doctrine  of  Adam-god  worship,  con- 
trary  to  the  laws  and  constitution  of  said  original  Church. 

And  the  Court  do  further  find  that  the  Plaintiff,  the  Reorgan- 
ized Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints,  is  the  True 
and  Lawful  continuation  of,  and  Successor  to  the  said  original 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints,  organized  in  1830, 
and  is  entitled  in  law  to  all  its  rights  and  property. 

This  decision  was  made  according  to  the  facts 
brought  before  the  court.  It  might  be  well  for 
some  of  our  literary  men  to  read  up  a  little  before 
so  flippantly  charging  the  Church  organized  by 
Joseph  Smith  with  believing  in  polygamy  or  Joseph 
Smith  with  having  practiced  it.  We  also  notice 
that  the  court  says  the  Utah  Church  has  "largely 
[not  slightly]  departed  from  the"  original  faith. 

Below  we  mention  some  of  the  differences  between 
the  Utah.,  Church  under  the  leadership  of  Brigham 
Young  and  his  successors,  and  the  Iowa  Church 
under  the  presidency  of  Joseph  Smith,  son  of  Joseph 


50  JOSEPH   SMITH 

Smith.  These  same  differences  exist  between  the 
followers  of  Brigham  Young  and  the  original  Latter 
Day  Saints. 

GOD. 

The  Iowa  Church  believes  in  the  God  of  the  Bible, 
in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  Utah  Church  believes  in  a  plurality  of  Gods 
and  that  Adam  became  a  god  and  is  the  only  god 
with  whom  we  have  to  do.  (See  Journal  of  Discourses, 
by  Brigham  Young  and  others,  vol.  1,  p.  50.) 

JESUS    CHRIST  BEGOTTEN  BY  THE   HOLY   GHOST. 

The  Iowa  Church  believes  that  Jesus  Christ  was 
truly  begotten  by  the  Holy  Ghost  as  revealed  in  the 
Scriptures. 

The  Utah  Church  believes  the  words  of  Brigham 
Young  on  this  matter  when  he  said,  "Now  hear  it,  O 
inhabitants  of  the  earth,  .  .  .  Jesus  Christ  was  not 
begotten  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  (See  Journal  of  Dis- 
courses, vol.  1,  pp.  50,  51.) 

POLYGAMY. 

The  Iowa  Church  believes  that  polygamy  is 
opposed  to  the  law  of  God  and  a  crime  before  God 
and  men. 

The  Utah  Church  makes  polygamy  a  very  promi- 
nent point  in  their  faith.  Though  compelled  to 
profess  to  abandon  its  practice  publicly,  they  still 
believe  that  principle  to  be  the  correct  rule  of  mar- 
riage. 

THE   HOLY   SCRIPTURES. 

The  Iowa  Church  holds  very  tenaciously  to  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  and  all  officers  as  well  as  members 


JOSEPH  SMITH  51 

are  amenable  to  the  law  of  God  contained  therein. 
The  Utah  Church  places  the  officers  above  the  law 
and  Brigham  Young  is  on  record  as  having  said  "the 
books  were  not  worth  the  ashes  of  a  rye  straw"  and 
giving  as  his  reason  that  they  had  the  "living  ora- 
cles." "Obey  counsel"  is  almost  a  daily  sermon  in 
all  parts  of  Utah,  even  in  the  remotest  hamlets. 

OFFICIAL  TITLES  AND  DUTIES. 

The  officers  in  the  Iowa  Church  are  similar  to  the 
officers  in  the  Utah  Church ;  that  is,  their  titles  are 
similar,  but  their  official  duties  are  much  different. 
Judge  Philips  of  the  United  States  District  Court 
says  of  the  Utah  Church : 

"It  has  changed  the  duties  of  the  President  and  of 
the  Twelve  and  established  the  doctrine  to  obey 
counsel  and  has  changed  the  order  of  the  Seventy  or 
Evangelists." 

THE  LAW  OF  THE  LAND. 

The  Iowa  Church  believes  in  obeying  the  law  of 
the  land  and  assisting  in  electing  good  men  to  office. 

The  Utah  Church  has  seen  nearly  a  majority  of  its 
leading  men  either  imprisoned  or  fined  for  trans- 
gressing the  law,  and  have  elected  lawbreakers  to 
official  positions  both  in  State  and  Congress.  They 
also  must  admit  that  if  polygamy  originated  with 
Joseph  Smith,  he  too  was  a  lawbreaker,  for  the  law 
of  Illinois  at  that  time  forbade  polygamy. 

VENGEANCE. 

The  Iowa  Church  believes  that  God  is  the  avenger 
of  wrongs,  but  in  case  redress  is  sought  in  this  world 
it  should  be  through  the  laws  of  the  land. 


i  ^  u  0  u  y    /  i  I  ^ 

52  -JOSEPH   SMITH 

The  Utah  Church  has  had  a  "Danite  Band,"  called 
also  "Avenging  Angels,"  to  redress  wrongs.  One  of 
this  band,  John  D.  Lee,  was  executed  by  order  of 
Government  officers  for  his  part  in \  the  Mountain 
Meadow  Massacre.  That  kind  of  a  band  Joseph 
Smith  vehemently  denounced  upon  several  occa- 
sions. 

SECRECIES. 

The  Iowa  Church  does  not  have  secret  orders  or 
principles  in  the  Church.  Their  doctrine  is  all  open 
and  public. 

The  Utah  Church  has  a  secret  order  called 
"Endowments"  with  grips  and  signs  and  oaths.  It 
is  said  to  be  a  kind  of  bogus  masonry. 

HUMAN  ATONEMENT   OR   SACRIFICE. 

The  Iowa  Church  grants  to  every  man  the  privilege 
to  come  into  the  Church  or  leave  it  as  he  may 
choose,  leaving  that  matter  between  him  and  his  God. 

The  Utah  Church  has  advocated  a  doctrine,  and 
one  of  the  worst  and  most  diabolical  among  any  civi- 
lized people,  which  forbids  any  member  from  leaving 
their  Church.  In  reality  it  is  nothing  short  of  human, 
sacrifice.  As  announced  by  Brigham  Young  Feb- 
ruary 8,  1857,  it  is  as  follows : 

I  could  refer  you  to  plenty  of  instances  where  men  have  been 
righteously  slain,  in  order  to  atone  for  their  sins.  I  have  seen 
scores  and  hundreds  of  people  for  whom  there  would  have  been 
a  chance  (in  the  last  resurrection  there  will  be)  if  their  lives  had 
been  taken  and  their  blood  spilled  on  the  ground  as  a  smoking 
incense  to  the  Almighty,  but  who  are  now  angels  to  the  Devil. 

.  .  I  have  known  a  great  many  who  have  left  this  Church  for 
whom  there  is  no  chance  whatever  for  exaltation,  but  if  their 


JOSEPH   SMITH  53 

blood  had  been  spilled,  it  would  have  been  better  for  them.   The   7 
wickedness  and  ignorance  of  the  nations  forbid  this  principle's   \ 
being  in  full  force,  but  the  time  will  come  when  the  law  of  God 
will  be  in  full  force. — Journal  of  Discourses,  vol.  4,  p.  220. 

CHURCH   FINANCES. 

In  the  matter  of  church  support  the  Iowa  Church 
believes  the  Bible  doctrine  of  tithing  and  they  inter- 
pret it  as  follows :  • 

First,  it  must,  like  all  other  principles  of  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ,  be  voluntary. 

Second,  it  should  be  one  tenth  annually  after  nec- 
essary expenses  are  paid. 

Third,  those  who  do  not  increase  the  value  of  their 
property  during  the  year  have  no  tithing  to  pay,  but 
for  the  love  of  the  work  they  may  give  free-will 
offering. 

Fourth,  those  who  have  much  may  consecrate  of 
more  than  they  have  need. 

The  Utah  Church  advocates  a  system  of  tithing 
which  is  quite  compulsory  and  requires  one  tenth  of 
all  income,  not  counting  out  expenses. 

PRESENT  REVELATION. 

It  would  hardly  seem  possible  that  both  Churches 
could  believe  in  the  principle  of  present  revelation 
and  differ  so  widely  and  yet  the  two  Churches  differ 
more  widely  on  this  point  than  any  other.  We  will 
not  discuss  the  correctness  .of  revelation  to  man  now 
or  its  harmony  with  the  unchangeability  of  God  and 
the  teaching  of  the  Bible,  but  leave  that  for  another 
chapter. 

The  Iowa  Church  believes  if,  in  the.  watchcare  of 
our  heavenly  Father,  he  through  the  Holy  Spirit 


54  JOSEPH  SMITH 

should  reveal  anything  to  the  Church  as  in  former 
days,  it  must  first  pass  through  the  different  grades 
of  offices  and  be  accepted  by  them  and  the  member- 
ship before  it  is  binding  as  a  law,  and  even  then  it 
must  not  contradict  any  former  law  of  God  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures. 

The  Utah  Church,  placing  the  officers  above  the 
written  word,  makes  virtually  the  mind  and  whims  of 
the  officers  the  law.  Many  laws  have  been  given 
in  a  very  compulsory  way — polygamy  among  others. 

This  latter  difference  perhaps  is  the  greatest  one 
between  the  two  churches.  It  opens  the  door  for  any 
absurd  thing  or  any  vile  doctrine  their  leaders  may 
be  tempted  to  enforce.  Not  so  with  the  Iowa  Church, 
for  all  are  subject  to  the  law,  which  is  unchangeable 
as  God  himself. 

We  have  given  the  foregoing  differences  between 
the  two  churches,  not  that  they  are  all,  but  they  are 
all  of  much  importance.  There  are  many  of  lesser 
import  that  we  have  neither  time  nor  disposition  to 
mention  here.  As  we  wrote  before,  in  some  things 
the  two  systems  of  faith  differ  as  widely  as  can  be,  as 
far  as  the  east  from  the  west,  as  black  from  white. 

We  have  sought  diligently  to  discuss  these  differ- 
ences with  the  Utah  people  calmly  and  in  a  proper 
spirit,  but  have  not  succeeded  in  anything  of  any 
importance. 

We  wish  here  to  reproduce  some  instruction  given 
by  the  Presidency  of  the  Utah  Church  to  their 
representatives.  It  will  show  that  they  are  aware 
that  they  have  departed  from  the  original  faith  and 
dare  not  face  the  facts : 


JOSEPH  SMITH  55 

CARD  TO  THE  ELDERS. 

To  the  Elders  of  the  Church  ol  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day 
Saints: 

Dear  Brethren:  Certain  parties  who  appear  to  be  anxious  for 
notoriety,  and  who  desire  to  take  advantage  of  the  prominence 
and  achieve  the  dignity  which  discussion  with  the  elders  of  this 
Church  would  give  them,  have  sent  to  representative  elders  of 
the  Church  challenges  to  hold  discussion  upon  the  doctrines  and 
the  validity  of  the  authority  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter  Day  Saints.  People  of  this  kind  in  California  and  else- 
where have  of  late  been  very  persistent  in  demanding  an  accept- 
ance of  their  challenge,  the  question  for  debate,  as  they  put  it, 
being: 

"First,  Was  Brigham  Young  the  lawful  and  legitimate  suc- 
cessor of  Joseph  Smith  (the  Seer)  to  the  prophetic  office  and 
Presidency  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints? 

"Second,  And  is  Utah  the  appointed  place  for  the  gathering 
of  the  Saints  in  the  last  days,  as  spoken  by  the  prophets  of  God, 
including  Joseph  Smith,  the  Seer?" 

We  take  this  public  method  of  saying  to  all  our  elders  that  we 
consider  it  entirely  unnecessary  for  the  vindication  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Church,  or  to  prove  the  authority  of  the  priesthood 
of  the  presiding  authorities  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter  Day  Saints,  to  resort  to  any  such  method  for  their  vindi- 
cation.  We  leave  this  for  the  Lord  to  prove  and  sustain,  and  we 
think  it  folly  to  submit  the  claims  of  our  Church  or  the  priest- 
hood to  the  arbitrament  of  man.  The  Lord  has  said,  "By  their 
fruits  ye  shall  know  them";  and  to  these  we  can  confidently 
point,  feeling  satisfied  that  the  people  who  are  seeking  for  truth 
and  looking  for  the  evidence  which  truth  always  furnishes,  can 
more  readily  obtain  this  knowledge  by  calm  investigation  and 
close  observation  than  by  controversy. 

It  is  our  counsel,  therefore,  that  any  elder  who  may  have 
received  and  accepted  such  a  challenge,  take  no  steps  whatever 
towards  meeting  his  challengers,  but  that  he  leave  them  severely 
alone. 

No  elder  in  such  a  position  need  feel  that  any  responsibility 
or  discredit  will  attach  to  him  for  declining  any  discussion  into 
which  he  may  have  been  drawn;  such  responsibility  we  freely 


56  JOSEPH   SMITH 

assume.    We  wish  it  to  be  further  understood  that  this  is  our 
counsel  to  all  of  our  elders  at  home  and  abroad. 

Your  brethren, 

WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

GEORGE  Q.  CANNON. 

JOSEPH  F,  SMITH.1 

First  Presidency  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day 
Saints.— The  Deseret  Weekly,  June  2,  1894. 

This  instruction  speaks  for  itself.  One  wo.uld 
hardly  suppose  that  leading  men  would  advance  an 
idea  that  a  better  understanding  could  be  had  by 
examining  only  one  side  of  the  question.  Such 
instruction  comes  not  from  brave  men,  but  from  those 
who  fear  the  light  of  investigation  and  comparison. 
If  their  principles  and  the  authority  of  their 'priest- 
hood will  not  stand  the  test  of  man — the  arbitrament 
of  men,  how  in  the  name  of  reason  can  they  expect 
to  stand  a  thousand  times  more  searching  investiga- 
tion at  the  judgment  day — the  arbitrament  of  God? 
The  fact  of  the  matter  is  that  they  fear  comparison 
-with  the  books. 

Our  aim  in  reproducing  this  "card"  while  discuss- 
ing or  answering  the  question,  "Who  was  Joseph 
Smith?"  is  to  show  that  he  was  not  responsible  for 
Utah  Mormonism,  as  they  themselves  well  know. 

We  next  introduce  the  decision  of  Judge  John  F. 
Philips,  of  the  United  States  District  Court  for  the 
Western  Division  of  Missouri.  We  have  not  space  to 
reproduce  it  all,  but  such  as  bears  on  the  points  at 
issue  we  excer.pt.  Speaking  of  polygamy  he  said: 


i  This  Joseph  Fielding  Smith  is  a  son  of  Hyrum  Smith,  a  cousin  of  the  presi- 
dent of  the  Iowa  Church.  Hyrum's  family  went  with  Brigham  Young  to  Utah. 
Joseph's  remained  in  the  original  Church. 


JOSEPH  SMITH  .     57 

Its  first  appearance  as  a  dogma  of  the  Church  was  in  the  Utah 
Church  in  1852.  ...  In  view  of  the  contention  of  the  Salt  Lake 
party,  that  polygamy  obtained  in  Nauvoo  as  early  as  1841,  it 
must  be  a  little  embarrassing  to  President  Woodruff  of  that 
organization  when  he  is  Confronted,  as  he  was  in  the  evidence  in 
this  case,  with  a  published  card  in  the  church  organ  at  Nauvoo 
in  October,  1843,  certifying  that  he  knew  of  no  other  rule  or 
system  of  marriage  than  the  one  published  in  the  Book  of  Doc- 
trine and  Covenants  (below  we  give  this  rule  verbatim),  and  the 
"secreo  wife  system,"  charged  against  the  Church,  was  a 
creature  of  invention  by  one  Doctor  Bennett,  and  that  they 
knew  of  no  such  society.  That  certificate  was  signed  by  the 
leading  members  of  the  Church,  including  John  Taylor,  the 
former  President  of  the  Utah  Church.  And  a  similar  certificate 
was  published  by  the  Ladies'  Relief  Society  of  the  same  place, 
?  igned  by  Emma  Smith,  wife  of  Joseph  Smith,  and  Phoebe 
Woodruff,  wife  of  the  present  President  Woodruff. 

Here  we  have  the  decision  of  a  judge  who  had 
listened  patiently  to  all  sides  of  this  question,  and  he 
decided,  like  all  others  must  do  when  the  evidence  is 
all  and  properly  considered,  that  in  the  matter  of 
polygamy  Joseph  Smith  was  not  guilty,  for  it  was 
first  taught  in  1852. 

We  here  produce  the  rule  of  marriage  referred  to 
above  by  the  judge.  This  rule  was  adopted  by  a 
general  assembly  of  the  Church  held  in  Kirtland, 
Ohio,  in  1835.  Joseph  Smith  presided  over  that 
gathering.  It  was  published  the  same  year  in  a  book 
called  Doctrine  and  Covenants.  Another  edition  was 
published  in  1845,  one  year  after  Joseph  Smith's 
death,  which  proves  that  polygamy  was  not  the 
Church  rule  of  marriage  up  to  that  time  even  among 
those  who  afterward  went  to  Utah : 

Marriage  should  be  celebrated  with  prayer  and  thanksgiving; 
and  at  the  solemnization,  the  persons  to  be  married,  standing 


58  JOSEPH  SMITH 

together,  the  man  on  the  right,  and  the  woman  on  the  left,  shall 
be  addressed  by  the  person  officiating,  as  he  shall  be  directed  by 
the  Holy  Spirit;  and  if  there  be  no  legal  objections,  he  shall 
say,  calling  each  by  their  names:  "You  both  mutually  agree  to 
be  each  other's  companion,  husband  and  wife,  observing  the 
legal  rights  belonging  to  this  condition;  that  is,  keeping  your- 
selves wholly  for  each  other,  and  from  all  others,  during  your 
lives?"  And  when  they  shall  have  answered  "Yes,"  he  shall 
pronounce  them  "husband  and  wife"  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  by  virtue  of  the  laws  of  the  country  and 
authority  vested  in  him:  "May  God  add  his  blessings  and  keep 
you  to  fulfill  your  covenants  from  henceforth  and  for  ever. 
Amen."  i  .  . 

All  legal  contracts  of  marriage  made  before  a  person  is  bap- 
tized into  this  church,  should  be  held  sacred  and  fulfilled.  Inas- 
much as  this  church  of  Christ  has  been  reproached  with  the 
crime  of  fornication,  and  polygamy :  we  declare  that  we  believe 
that  one  man  should  have  one  wife;  and  one  woman  but  one 
husband,  except  in  cases  of  death,  when  either  is  at  liberty 
to  marry  again. — Section  111:  2-4. 

As  said  before,  this  was  the  only  law  of  marriage 
in  the  Church  over  which  Joseph  Smith  presided 
even  among  those  who  afterward  went  to  Utah.  This 
was  their  rule  until  eight  years  after  Joseph  Smith's 
death.  This  is  still  the  rule  of  marriage  in  the  Iowa 
Church.  This  is  the  rule  that  Judge  Philips  referred 
to  and  the  only  one  the  Utah  parties  knew  of  who 
signed  the  documents  published  in  the  church  paper 
shortly  before  the  death  of  Joseph  Smith  which  the 
judge  mentioned  in  his  decision.  Nothing  can  be 
more  plain  than  that  polygamy  was  considered  a 
crime  by  the  original  Latter  Day  Saints  in  the  days 
of  Joseph  Smith.  Joseph  Smith  was  by  no  means 
silent  on  this  matter  of  polygamy  either.  A  little 
over  five  months  before  his  death  the  following 


JOSEPH  SMITH  59 

notice  appeared  in  the  official  church  paper  called  the 
Times  and  Seasons  for  February  1,  1844: 

NOTICE. 

As  we  have  lately  been  credibly  informed,  that  an  elder  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints,  by  the  name  of 
Hiram  Brown,  has  been  preaching  polygamy  and  other  false  and 
corrupt  doctrines,  in  the  county  of  Lapeer,  state  of  Michigan. 

This  is  to  notify  him  and  the  Church  in  general,  that  he  has 
been  cut  off  from  the  Church,  for  his  iniquity:  and  he  is  further 
notified  to  appear  at  the  special  conference,  on  the  6th  of  April 
next,  to  make  answer  to  these  charges. 

JOSEPH  SMITH, 
.   HYRUM  SMITH, 
Presidents  of  the  Church. 

A  month  and  a  half  later  the  following  appeared  in 
the  same  paper  signed  by  Hyrum  Smith,  and  no 
doubt  with  the  consent  of  Joseph,  his  brother;  at 
least  up  to  the  time  of  their  death,  three  months  later, 
no  intimation  was  ever  published  to  the  contrary : 

NAUVOO,  March  15,  1844. 

To  the  Brethren  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day 
Saints,  living  on  China  Creek,  in  Hancock  County,  Greeting: 
Whereas,  Bro.  Richard  Hewitt  has  called  on  me  to-day,  to  know 
my  views  concerning  some  doctrines  that  are  preached  in  your 
place,  and  states  to  me  that  some  of  your  elders  say,  that  a  man 
having  a  certain  priesthood  may  have  as  many  wives  as  he 
pleases,  and  that  doctrine  is  taught  here :  I  say  unto  you  that 
that  man  teaches  false  doctrine,  for  there  is  no  such  doctrine 
taught  here,  neither  is  there  any  such  thing  practiced  here,  and 
any  man  that  is  found  teaching  privately  or  publicly  any  such 
doctrine,  is  culpable  and  will  stand  a  chance  to  be  brought 
before  the  High  Council,  and  lose  his  license  and  membership 
also;  therefore  he  had  better  beware  what  he  is  about.  .  .  . 

HYRUM  SMITH. 

A  little  over  three  months   after  this  notice  was 
published  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith  passed  to  their 


60  JOSEPH  SMITH 

reward,  leaving  a  clear,  bright  record  that  to  this  day 
may  be  easily  discovered  by  those  who  will  take  the 
time  to  brush  away  the  rubbish  that  their  enemies 
and  careless  writers  have  strewn  thick  and  dark  over 
their  characters  to  deceive.  If  they  practiced  in 
secret  what  they  denied  in  public  then  they  were  hypo- 
crites and  must  suffer  accordingly.  But  their  teach- 
ing was  of  the  very  highest  standard  of  chastity  and 
morality  and  no  public  hint  to  the  contrary  ever 
came  to  the  surface  while  they  lived,  nor  for  over 
eight  years  after  their  death  and  then  only  by  those 
who  had  themselves  first  gone  in  corruption  in  Utah, 
and  doubtless  shouldered  the  responsibility  on  Joseph 
Smith  to  cover  up  their  own  crimes,  in  the  eyes  of 
their  own  people. 

We  feel  that  we  can  reasonably  dismiss  this  point 
as  having  been  proven  over  and  above  what  any 
honest  investigator  ought  to  require,  that  in  no  sense 
was  Joseph  Smith  a  polygamist.  "We  do  not  claim 
that  there  was  no  evil  in  the  Churchy  such  a  claim 
would  be  unreasonable.  But  their  doctrines  were 
pure.  Some  few,  as  in  every  church,  may  have 
secretly  practiced  polygamy,  but  they  left  the  Church 
and  went  to  Utah.  The  faithful  remained  true. 
Joseph  Smith  was  true  to  the  faith  as  we  have  shown. 
However,  to  help  -out  a  little  further,  that  the  reader 
may  be  prepared  to  answer  the  sophistry  of  the  Utah 
representatives,  we  append'  a  clipping  from  the 
Kansas  City  Daily  Times  for  April  11,  1898.  Let  the 
reader  notice  in  particular  the  last  two  paragraphs: 

SAINTS  AND  MORMONS. 

At  the  evening  service  J.  W.  Wight  of  the  Rocky  Mountain 
division,  whose  work  has  been  among  the  Mormons  in  Utah, 


JOSEPH   SMITH  61 

preached.  Elder  Wight  first  went  into  the  Utah  country  when 
the  feeling  was  so  high  that  his  life  was  many  times  in  danger. 
He  is  better  qualified  than  any  members  in  the  Church  to 
explain  the  differences  between  the  Utah  Church  and  that  of  the 
Latter  Day  Saints,  who  are  thought  by  many  people  to  be  iden- 
tical. In  showing  some  of  the  more  radical  points  of  difference, 
Elder  Wight  has  contributed  the  following  article  to  the  Times: 

"One  of  the  facts  to  be  made  prominent  in  this  question  of 
what  the  world  calls  Mormonism  is  the  distinction  existing 
between  the  Reorganized  Latter  Day  Saints  and  people  in  Utah 
under  the  successive  leadership  of  Brigham  Young,  John  Taylor, 
and  Wilford  Woodruff,  the  now  existing  president  of  the  Church 
in  Utah,  met  with  the  accepted  axiom  that  a  sweet  fountain 
can  not  send  forth  bitter  water;  therefore  there  must  have  been 
something  peculiarly  bitter  in  the  faith  or  doctrine  that  could 
produce  such  bitter  results  as  have  obtained  in  Utah.  The 
elders  at  the  conference  here  all  seem  ready  to  tell  one  that  it 
was  not  the  doctrine  that  produced  the  results,  but  the  turning 
away  from  it  that  made  possible  the  awful  evils  seen  in  the 
valleys  of  the  mountains,  and  instead  of  being  abashed  by  the 
axiom  will  turn  it  in  their  favor  by  the  argument  of  a  parallel. 
In  the  dimly  distant  past  they  will  cite  you  to  the  fact  that  there 
was  an  occasion  wh£n  the  Greeks  murmured  concerning  the 
financial  conditions  existing  in  the  church,  as  seen  in  the  sixth 
chapter  of  Acts,  and  that  the  apostles  told  the  people  to  choose 
certain  wise  men  whom  they  might  ordain  for  the  special  pur- 
pose contemplated  and  that  one  of  these  very  ones — Nicholas — 
afterward  went  away  into  the  grossest  of  evils— polygamy —  as 
seen  in  his  history. 

"And  here  they  argue  that  if  it  be  true  that  the  doctrine  estab- 
lished in  1830  by  revelation,  as  they  claim,  is  false  because  Mr. 
Young  and  his  followers,  who  at  one  time  were  in  the  true 
Church,  went  into  polygamy  and  other  false  doctrines,  then  it  is 
also  true  that  the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  his  apostles  is  false 
because  the  man  Nicholas  and  his  fellows,  belonging  thereto, 
afterwards  went  into  polygamy.  But  here  they  argue,  strange  as 
it  may  seem,  that  instead  of  being  a  proof  in  favor  of  the  falsity 
of  their  faith  it  is  in  fact  a  proof  that  their  church  is  right, 
because  of  the  fact  that  out  from  its  fold  there  went  forth  just 


62  JOSEPH  SMITH 

such  a  pernicious  teaching  as  that  fostered  by  Mr.  Young  and 
his  fellows. 

"QUOTES  PAUL  AS  AUTHORITY. 

"Paul,  say  they,  wrote  the  saints  at  Thessalonica  that  that  time 
shall  not  come  except  there  -come  a  falling  away  first;  and  in 
fulfillment  of  this  prediction  they  point  to  the  fact  that  Utah 
Mormonism  is  the  real  and  direct  fulfillment  of  that  prediction. 

"The  doctrine  as  seen  in  their  text-books  was  one  of  monogamy 
as  seen  in  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants,  sections  42  and  49.  In 
the  former  section,  and  I  may  say  your  correspondent  has  been 
privileged  to  see  it,  the  statement  is  made:  'Thou  shalt  love 
thy  wife  with  all  thy  heart  and  cleave  unto  her  and  none  else.' 
In  the  latter  section  the  statement  is  made:  'Whoso  forbiddeth 
to  marry  is  not  ordained  of  God,  for  marriage  is  ordained  of 
God ;  therefore  it  is  lawful  that  a  man  should  have  one  wife  and 
all  this  that  the  earth  might  be  filled  with  the  measure  of  man 
and  answer  the  end  of  its  creation.' 

"The  Book  of  Mormon  in  the  second  chapter  of  Jacob  says: 
'Truly  David  and  Solomon  had  many  wives  and  concubines, 
which  thing  was  abominable  before  me,  saith  the  Lord.  .  .  . 
Therefore  shall  no  man  among  you  have  save  it  be  one  wife;  and 
concubines  he  shall  have,  none.'  And  as  if  to  add  emphasis  to 
these  already  strong  statements,  and  as  it  were  a  bagatelle  of 
that  which  was  yet  to  come,  the  Church  as  early  as  1835  went  on 
record  by  making  a  statement  in  what  they  called  the  'marriage 
section,'  as  follows:  'Inasmuch  as  this  Church  is  accused  of 
the  crime  of  fornication  and-  polygamy,  we  declare,  that  we 
believe,  that  one  man  shall  have  one  wife  and  one  woman  but 
one  husband,  except  in  case  of  death,  when  either  is  at  liberty 
to  marry  again.'  And  in  the  very  same  section  in  their  mar- 
riage covenant  the  statement  is  made:  'You  both  mutually 
agree  to  become  each  other's  companion,  husband  and  wife,  and 
to  observe  all  the  requirements  belonging  to  this  condition;  that 
is,  keeping  yourselves  wholly  for  each  other  and  from  all  others 
during  your  lives.' 

"Here,  they  argue,  was  the  marital  law  of  the  Church  up  to  the 
death  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith,  in  1844,  and  therefore  could 
not  have  produced  the  result  in  Utah,  but  that  Brigham  et  al 
had  to  leave  such  teaching  in  order  to  enter  into  the  practice  of 
that  which  was  its  direct  opposite. 


JOSEPH  SMITH  63 

"AS  TO  POLYGAMY. 

"One  of  the  most  venerable  and  patriarchal  of  those  in  attend- 
ance at  the  conference  is  Apostle  E.G.  Briggs,  who  was  sent  to 
Utah  as  early  as  1863  in  our  effort  to  reclaim  that  deluded 
people.  He  and  others  who  have  since  gone  there  have  been 
able  to  give  to  your  correspondent  some  interesting  features  of 
the  work  in  Utah.  From  these  it  is  learned  that  in  order  to 
fasten  the  question  of  polygamy  more  securely  in  the  minds  of 
their  adherents  the  leaders  in  Utah  early  began  to  teach  that 
Joseph  Smith  was  its  author.  Even  could  it  be  true — which 
they  do  not  admit— they  will  tell  you  that  it  would  not  make  it 
tfue  if  Mr.  Smith  did  introduce  its  practice. 

"The  doctrine  is  so  contrary  to  the  Bible,  the  Book  of  Mormon, 
and  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants — their  standard  text-books — 
that  they  claim  that  even  if  it  could  be  proved  that  Mr.  Smith 
taught  or  practiced  it,  it  would  therefore  be  for  them  to  stand 
by  either  the  books  or  Smith,  and  on  this  point  they  propose  to 
stand  by  the  books  rather  than  any  man.  But  it  will  be  well 
enough  to  examine  this  matter  a  little  more  in  detail.  Young 
and  his  followers,  in  order  to  make  their  claim  hold  good,  say 
that  Smith  practiced  the  crime  as  early  as  1841,  by  that  year 
marrying  as  his  first  plural  wife  one  Louisa  Beaman,  and  that 
he  married  several  others  soon  after.  Naturally  the  Reorgan- 
ized elders  ask  for  the  issue  that  would  likely  have  resulted  for 
such  union.  Here  they  tell  us  that  the  Utah  people  make  a 
complete  failure  in  their  efforts  to  bolster  up  such  a  claim  in  not 
being  able  to  produce  the  progeny.  And  when  it  is  learned  that 
in  later  years  soine  of  these  same  women  became  the  mothers  of 
other  men's  children  it  does  seem  a  clincher  in  favor  of  the 
position  taken  by  the  Reorganization. 

"But  another  feature  to  be  noted  is  the  peculiar  nature  of  their 
testimony.  One  woman,  Eliza  D.  Huntington,  is  said  to  have 
married  Smith  on  the  twenty-seventh  day  of  October,  1841,  hav- 
ing previously  been  married  to  one  Jacobs.  Andrew  Jensen, 
Utah  historian,  says  that  after  she  had  borne  Jacobs  two  chil- 
dren—and he  says  nothing  about  their  being  twins— that  the 
marriage  not  proving  a  happy  one,  she  got  a  divorce  from  Mr. 
Jacobs  and  married  Smith,  as  above  noted.  The  inconsistency 
of  the  claim  is  in  the  fact  that  by  the  county  records  of  Han- 


64  JOSEPH   SMITH 

cock  County,  Illinois,  it  is  shown  that  she  was  married  to  Jacobs 
on  March  7,  1841,  so  that,  to  have  borne  him  two  children  (even 
though  they  were  twins— which  even  the  Utah  Church  does  not 
claim),  then  got  a  divorce  and  married  Smith  in  seven  months 
and  twenty  days,  was  even  too  miraculous  for  the  Saints  to 
accept.  And  upon  just  such  a  false  basis  as  this  has  Mr.  Young 
and  his  fellows  tried  to  prove  that  Smith  was  a  polygamist. 

"The  first  child  born  in  polygamy  was  on  the  nineteenth  day 
of  June,  1845,  as  noted  by  Utah  historians  themselves,  and  here 
these  Independence  conveners  will  apply  the  well-established 
adage  that  the  proof  of  the  pudding  is  in  the  eating,  and  that  as 
this  first  polygamous  product  was  fostered  at  the  door  of  M». 
Young,  by  his  own  historian,  and  was  not  born  till  within  nine 
days  of  one  year  after  the  death  of  Smith,  that,  therefore, 
Young  was  the  real  author  of  the  'twin  relic,'  as  proved  by  them- 
selves. 

"In  answer  to  the  query  as  to  how  it  was  that  women  in  Utah 
actually  claim  to  have  been  Smith's  wives,  one  is  met  with  the 
statement  that  this  was  simply  an  afterthought,  and  accom- 
plished by  the  Utah  men  marrying  the  women  -for  'time,'  and  in 
the  same  ceremony  sealing  them  to  Joseph  for  'eternity,'  and 
thus  they  became  Joseph's  'wives/'  Married  to  him  after  he 
was  dead !  In  their  efforts  to  ameliorate  the  condition  in  Utah, 
brought  into  existence  by  the  fostering  of  such  crimes  of 
polygamy,  Adam-god,  blood-atonement,  etc.,  the  Reorganized 
Church  should  be  seconded  by  all  good  people." 

In  February,  1880,  E.  L.  Kelley,  now.  presiding 
Bishop  of  the  Reorganized  Church,  with  his  brother, 
W.  H.  Kelley,  now  president  of  the  Quorum  of  Apos- 
tles in  the  same  Church,  visited  the  old  neighbors  of 
Joseph  Smith  living  in  the  states  of  New  York  and 
Ohio  to  obtain  statements  of  what  they  knew  of  the 
man.  Their  testimonies  were  published  at  the  time 
and  a  statement  of  E.  L.  Kelley  appeared  in  the 
Saints9  Herald  of  March  15,  1880,  a  part  of  which 
some  years  after  appeared  in  the  Chicago  Inter- 


JOSEPH   SMITH  65 

Ocean  by  E.  T.  Dobson,  of  St.  Joseph,  Missouri.     It 
is  as  follows : 

After  canvassing  the  statements  here  of  these  men,  I  feel  a 
good  deal  like  Colonel  R.  G.  Ingersoll  when  he  offered  the  gold 
for  the  evidence  of  Tom  Payne's  dying  declarations;  and  I  now 
affirm  that  if  any  of  the  great  newspapers  of  the  day,  like  the 
Chicago  Times,  Tribune,  or  Inter -Ocean  wish  to  test  the  truth 
of  these  statements  and  publish  the  facts  by  a  correspondent 
through  their  columns,  I  will  undertake  the  task  of  accompany- 
ing their  correspondent  and  if  the  general  integrity,  upright- 
ness, honesty,  and  patriotism  of  these  men  [Joseph  Smith  and 
the  leading  Latter  Day  Saints]  are  not  maintained  by  the  evi- 
dence, I  will  forfeit  to  the  one  the  one  hundred  dollars  in  gold. 

Here  is  a  chance  for  some  of  our  leading  encyclo- 
pedias to  make  a  little  to  pay  the  printer;  at  least 
enough  to  pay  the  railroad  fare  of  a  man  to  visit  the 
places  and  make  at  least  a  show  of  justice.  Suffice 
it  to  say  that  thus  far  the  money  has  not  been  called 
for. 

The  same  assembly  that  indorsed  the  marriage 
ceremony  before  referred  to  by  Judge  Philips,  also 
accepted  the  following  as  a  revelation  from  God 
through  Joseph  Smith.  Whatever  may  be  the 
opinion  of  the  reader  concerning  present  revela- 
tion, or  God's  unchangeability,  it  must  be  admitted 
that  these  sentiments  were  in  exact  harmony  with 
the  mind  of  Joseph  Smith  whether  inspired  or  unin- 
spired. There  is  no  escaping  that  conclusion  and 
that  it  was  also  the  sentiments  of  the  Church  over 
which  he  presided: 

Again,  I  say,  thou  shalt  not  kill;  but  he  that  killeth  shall  die. 
Thou  shalt  not  steal;  and  he  that  stealeth  and  will  not  repent, 
shall  be  cast  out.  Thou  shalt  not  lie;  he  that  lieth  and  will  not 
repent,  shall  be  cast  out.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  wife  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  shall  cleave  unto  her  and  none  else  [no  show  for 


66  JOSEPH  SMITH 

polygamy  here];  and  he  that  looketh  upon  a  woman  to  lust 
after  her;  shall  deny  the  faith,  and  shall  not  have  the  Spirit; 
and  if  he  repent  not,  he  shall  be  cast  out.  Thou  shalt  not  com- 
mit adultery;  and  he  that  committeth  adultery  and  repenteth 
not,  shall  be  cast  out;  but  he  that  has  committed  adultery  and 
repents  with  all  his  heart,  and  forsaketh  it  and  doeth  it  no  more, 
thou  shalt  forgive :  but  if  he  doeth  it  again,  he  shall  not  be  for- 
given, but  shall  be  cast  out.  Thou  shalt  not  speak  evil  of  thy 
neighbor,  nor  do  him  any  harm.  Thou  knowest  my  laws  con- 
cerning these  things  are  given  in  my  scriptures;  he  that  sinneth 
and  repenteth  not  shall  be  cast  out.— Doctrine  and  Covenants 
42:7. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  find  anything  more  moral  or 
upright  than  the  above.  No  one  need  be  ashamed  of 
these  principles.  But  these  are  the  very  principles 
that  are  opposed  when  people  oppose  the  work  of 
Joseph  Smith.  This  is  the  very  kernel  of  the  Latter 
Day  Saint  faith.  Did  we  misstate  the  truth  then  in 
our  first  chapter  when  we  said  "in  the  teaching  of 
Joseph  Smith  was  to  be  found  the  very  essence  of 
chastity  and  truth  worthy  the  best  thoughts  of  the 
best  men  of  this  or  any  other  country"?  All  of  Mr. 
Smith's  teachings  were  along  this  same  elevated 
moral  plane.  Those  who  believe  him  to  have  taught 
otherwise  do  not  know  the  man.  They  know  only  a 
man  of  straw  made  to  deceive,  as  the  following  chap- 
ter will  more  fully  show.  No  better  people  can  be 
found  on  the  face  of  God's  footstool  than  the  Latter 
Day  Saints  who  live  their  principles.  If  they  do  not 
so  live,  it  is  no  fault  of  the  principles. 


JOSEPH   SMITH  67 


CHAPTER  V. 

TESTIMONY  OF  THOMAS  H.  TAYLOR,  LL.  D.— ORLANDO  SAUN- 
DERS— JOHN  STAFFORD— LAWYER  REED— JUDGE  MURDOCK — 
HONORABLE  I.  P.  AXTELL  —  SMITH  BUNKER  —  JOSEPH  H. 
REYNOLDS— HISTORIAN  BANCROFT— MRS.  AUSTIN— JAMES  G. 
ELAINE  —  JOHN  C.  RIDPATH  —  BENJAMIN  BUTTERWORTH  — 
GENERAL  ALEXANDER  W.  DONIPHAN — E.  S.  SEBREE — JOSIAH 
QUINCY  —  T.  F.  O 'DANIEL  —  GOVERNOR  THOMAS  FORD  — 
REPORT  OF  ANAMOSA  PENITENTIARY — GENERAL  JOHN  EATON 
IN  "CHRISTIAN  HERALD"  CRITICIZED. 

JOSEPH  SMITH  began  his  religious  work  in  the  state 
of  New  York.  He  afterward  moved  to  Ohio,  thence 
to  Missouri,  and  thence  to  Illinois,  where  he  was 
murdered  June  27,  1844.  We  give  below  the  testi- 
mony of  two  or  more  honorable  and  disinterested 
witnesses  from  each  State  whose  word  would  be  taken 
in  any  court.  The  reader  would  do  well  to  accept 
their  testimony  i 

NEW  YORK.,  --' 

The  first  witness  we  shall  introduce  is  Mr.  Thomas 
H.  Taylor,  LL.  D.,  of  Manchester,  New  York.  Mr. 
Taylor  was  an  infidel  and  occasionally  lectured  on  that 
subject.  He  was  also  one  of  the  original  parties  with 
John  Brown  at  Harpers  Ferry.  He  also  fought  in 
the  Union  Army  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.  On  ' 
being  asked  if  he  knew  the  Smiths  and  early  settlers 
throughout  that  country  called  Mormons  *  he  said  : 

i  The  terms  "Mormon"  and  " M ormonism"  are  opprobriums  generally 
applied  to  the  Latter  Day  Saints  and  their  faith.  It  was  first  and  is  yet  used 
by  many  as  a  reproach  and  finally  crept  into  print  generally.  Many  use  it 
to-day,  no  doubt,  without  thinking  of  a  reproach,  but  the  Church  from  the  first 
has  refused  to  be  called  by  that  name. 


68  JOSEPH   SMITH 

-     I  knew  them  very  well;  they  were  nice  men,  too;  the  only 

trouble  was  they  were  ahead  of  the  people,  and  the  people  as  in 
<  every  such  case  turned  out  to  abuse  them  because  they  had  the 
\  manhood  to  stand  for  their  own  convictions.  .  .  .  Smith  was 
,  always  ready  to  exchange  views  with  the  best  men  they  had. 
t  ...  To  tell  the  truth  ...  he  knew  more  than  they  did  and  it 

made  them  mad. 

1      "But  a  good  many  tell  stories  about  them  being  low  people, 
»  rogues,  and  liars,  and  such  things.    How  is  that?" 
v     I  have  had  a  home  here  and  been  here  except  when  on  busi- 
t  ness  all  my  life— ever  since  I  came  to  this  country,  and  I  know 

these  fellows,  and  they  make  these  lies  on  Smith  because  they 
«  love  a  lie  better  than  the  truth.  I  can  take  you  to  a  great  many 

old  settlers  who  will  substantiate  what  I  say  and  if  you  want  to 
( go,  come  to  my  place  across  the  way,  and  I'll  go  with  you  .  .  . 
%  but  you  will  find  they  don't  know  anything  against  those  men 

when  you  put  them  down  to  it;  they  could  never  sustain  any- 
1  thing  against  Smith. 

In  this  quotation  we  have  left  out  some  arguments 
not  relative  to  the  question,  but  we  have  not  in 
any  sense  changed  the  meaning.  Mr.  Taylor  also 
indulged  in  a  little  profanity  not  necessary  to  be 
republished.  Surely  this  man  can  not  have  any 
religious  bias  and  could  look  impartially  on  the  facts, 

The  legal  and  accepted  name  of  the  Church  under  Joseph  Smith  was  "The 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints,"  but  shortly  after  the  death  of- 
Joseph  Smith,  Brigham  Young  and  company  so  changed  the  order  of  the 
Church  that  many,  including  the  family  of  Joseph  Smith,  refused  to  follow 
him,  rejected  him  as  a  leader,  and  abode  in  the  old  faith.  Out  of  a  membership 
of  perhaps  two  hundred  thousand  only  about  ten  thousand  accepted  the 
changed  faith  under  M  r.  Young.  Many  of  the  remainder  left  in  a  scattered 
condition  throughout  the  world,  met  in  conference  eight  years  after  the  death 
of  Joseph  Smith  and  effected  a  reorganization  of  their  broken  ranks  and  after- 
ward were  incorporated  under  the  name  of  "The  Reorganized  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints."  A  few  years  after  the  reorganization  was 
effected  the  oldest  son  of  Joseph  Smith,  also  named  Joseph,  became  its  presi- 
dent, which  position  he  now  holds.  Since  the  departure  of  Brigham  Young 
and  company,  the  Reorganization  all  the  more  reject  the  name  M  ormon,  while 
those  who  followed  him  quite  generally  accept  that  term,  while  at  the  same 
time  holding  to  the  old  name,  Latter  Day  Saint,  to  cover  a  new  faith. 


JOSEPH  SMITH  69 

and  was  not  afraid  to  state  them  regardless  of  ency- 
clopedias to  the  contrary.  He  was  a  man  of  honor 
and  had  been  indorsed  by  such  leading  men  in  the 
East  as  Gerrit  Smith  and  Wendell  Phillips.  Of  that 
matter  he  said : 

I  have  seen  such  work  all  through  life,  and  when  I  was  work- 
ing with  John  Brown  for  the  freedom  of  my  fellow  men,  I  often 
got  in  tight  places,  and  if  it  had  not  been  for  Gerrit  Smith  and 
Wendell  Phillips  and  some  others  who  gave  me  their  influence 
and  money,  I  don't  know  how  I  would  have  gotten  through. 

According  to  this  man's  testimony,  religious  zealots 
and  those  who  could  not  answer  Mr.  Smith's  argu- 
ments, together  with  those  who  love  a  lie  better  than 
the  truth,  were  his  worst  enemies.  This  testimony  is 
in  harmony  with  the  real  facts  and  very  effectually 
answers  the  evil  report  that  Joseph  Smith  was  an 
ignorant  sort  of  young  man  who  did  not  amount  to 
much.  This  is  another  point  it  might  be  well  for 
encyclopedia  writers  and  historians  to  look  up.  Let 
them  take  some  representative  Latter  Day  Saint  and 
visit  the  old  settlers  and  neighbors  of  Joseph  Smith 
and  get  the  facts,  stated  in  the  presence  of  both 
sides.  As  we  proceed  we  hope  the  reader  will  note 
carefully  the  kind  of  men  who  opposed  and  those 
who  favored  Mr.  Smith.  As  we  have  said,  doctors, 
awyers,  judges,  and  statesmen  were  his  friends. 
Clergymen  and  those  who  could  be  gathered  from 
grog-shops  and  ditches  became  brothers  to  oppose 
him,  while  religious  zealots  took  up  the  refrain  and 
echoed  it  far  ^nd  wide.  Historians  heard  only  the 
refrain  and  set  it  down  in  cold  type. 

Let  us  hear  the  testimony  of  another  lawyer  in  the 
Empire  State,  a  Mr.  John  Reed,  in  a  lawsuit  in  which 


70  JOSEPH   SMITH 

Mr.  Smith  was  a  participant  as  an  outgrowth  of 
religious  persecution  for  conscience'  sake.  The  fol- 
lowing statement  of  Mr.  Reed  was  made  before  the 
State  political  convention  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  in 
1844,  to  which  convention  Mr.  Reed  was  a  delegate. 
The  suit  to  which  he  refers  was  held  in  New  York  in 
1830,  when  certain  religious  bigots,  who  could  not 
resist  the  strength  of  Mr.  Smith's  argument,  resorted 
to  persecution  and  had  him  arrested  for  disturbing 
the  (their)  peace.  Mr.  Reed  as  counsel  for  the 
accused  tells  of  the  trial  fourteen  years  after  in  the 
following  vigorous  language  : 

Those  bigots  soon  made  up  a  false  accusation  against  him  and 
had  him  arraigned  before  Joseph  Chamberlain,  a  justice  of  the 
peace,  a  man  that  was  always  ready  to  deal  out  justice  to  all, 
and  a  man  of  great  discernment  of  mind.  The  case  came  on 
about  ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon.  I  was  called  upon  to  defend 
the,,  prisoner.  The  prosecutors  employed  the  best  counsel  they 
could  get,  and  ransacked  the  town  of  Bainbridge  and  county  of 
Chenango  for  witnesses  that  would  swear  hard  enough  to  con- 
vict the  prisoner;  but  they  entirely  failed.  Yes,  sir,  let  me  say 
to  you  that  not  one  blemish  or  spot  was  found  against  his  char- 
acter. He  came  from  that  trial,  notwithstanding  the  mighty 
efforts  that  were  made  to  convict  him  of  crime  by  his  vigilant 
persecutors,  with  his  character  unstained  by  even  the  appear- 
ance of  guilt.  The  trial  closed  about  twelve  o'clock  at  night. 
After  a  few  moments  deliberation,  the  court  pronounced  the 
words  "not  guilty,"  and  the  prisoner  was  discharged.  But 
alas  !  the  Devil,  not  satisfied  with  his  defeat,  stirred  up  a  man 
not  unlike  himself,  who  was  more  fit  to  dwell  among  the  fiends 
of  hell  than  to  belong  to  the  human  family,  to  go  to  Colesville 
and  get  another  writ,  and  take  him  to  Broome  County  for 
another  trial.  They  were  sure  they  could  send  that  boy  to  hell 
or  Texas,  they  did  not  care  which  ;  and  in  half  an  hour  after  he 
was  discharged  by  the  court  he  was  arrested  again  and  on  the 
way  to  Colesville  for  another  trial.  I  was  again  called  upon  by 
his  friends  to  defend  him  against  his  malignant  persecutors, 


r^^< 


JOSEPH  SMITH  71 

and  clear  him  from  the  false  charges  they  had  preferred  against 
him.  I  made  every  reasonable  excuse  I  could,  as  I  was  nearly 
worn  down  through  fatigue  and  want  of  sleep,  as  I  had  been 
engaged  in  lawsuits  for  two  days  and  nearly  the  whole  of  two 
nights.  But  I  saw  the  persecution  was  great  against  him.  And 
here  let  me  say,  Mr.  Chairman,  singular  as  it  may  seem,  while 
Mr.  Knight  was  pleading  with  me  to  go,  a  peculiar  impression 
or  thought  struck  my  mind,  that  I  must  go  and  defend  him,  for 
he  was  the  Lord's  anointed.  I  did  not  know  what  it  meant,  but^ 
thought  I  must  go  and  clear  the  Lord's  anointed.  I  said  I  would 
go,  and  started  with  as  much  faith  as  the  apostles  had  when 
they  could  remove  mountains,  accompanied  by  Father  Knight, 
who  was  like  the  old  patriarchs  that  followed  the  ark  of  God  to 
the  city  of  David.  We  rode  on  until  we  came  to  the  house  of 
Hezekiah  Peck,  where  a  number  of  Mormon  women  had  assem- 
bled, as,  I  was  informed,  for  the  purpose  of  praying  for  the 
deliverance  of  the  prophet  of  the  Lord.  The  women  came  out 
to  our  wagon,  and  Mrs.  Smith  among  the  rest.  O  my  God,  sir; 
what  were  my  feelings  when  I  saw  that  woman  who  had  but  a 
few  days  before  given  herself,  heart  and  hand,  to  be  a  consort 
for  life,  and  that  so  soon  her  crimson  cheeks  must  be  wet  with 
tears  that  came  streaming  from  her  eyes.  Yes,  sir,  it  seemed 
that  her  very  heartstrings  would  be  broken  with  grief.  My 
feelings,  sir,  were  moved  with  pity  and  sorrow  for  the  afflicted; 
and  on  the  other  hand  they  were  wrought  up  to  the  highest 
pitch  of  indignation  against  those  fiends  of  hell  who  had  thus 
caused  the  innocent  to  suffer. 

The  next  morning  about  ten  o'clock  the  court  was  organized. 
The  prisoner  was  to  be  tried  by  three  justices  of  the  peace,  that 
his  departure  out  of  the  county  might  be  made  sure.  Neither 
talents  nor  money  were  wanting  to  insure  them  success.  They 
employed  the  ablest  lawyer  in  that  county,  and  introduced 
twenty  or  thirty  witnesses  before -dark,  but  proved  nothing. 
They  then  sent  out  runners  and  ransacked  the  hills  and  vales, 
grog-shops  and  ditches,  and  gathered  together  a  company  that 
looked  as  if  they  had  come  from  hell  and  had  been  whipped  by 
the  soot  boy  thereof,  which  they  brought  forward  to  testify  one 
after  another,  but  with  no  better  success  than  before,  although 
they  wrung  and  twisted  into  every  shape,  in  trying  to  tell  some- 


72  t      JOSEPH  SMITH 

thing  that  would  criminate  the  prisoner.  Nothing-  was  proven 
against  him  whatever.  Having  got  through  with  the  examina- 
tion of  their  witnesses  about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the 
case  was  argued  about  two  hours.  There  was  not  one  particle  of 
testimony  against  the  prisoner.  No  sir,  he  came  out  like  the 
three  children  from  the  fiery  furnace,  without  the  smell  of  fire 
upon  his  garments.  The  court  deliberated  upon  the  case  for 
half  an  hour  with  closed  doors,  and  then  we  were  called  in.  The 
court  arraigned  the  prisoner  and  said:  "Mr.  Smith,  we  have 
had  your  case  under  consideration,  examined  the  testimony  and 
find  nothing  to  condemn  you,  and  therefore  you  are  discharged." 
—History  of  the  Church,  vol.  1,  pp.  101-103. 

Mr.  Reed,  though  always  a  friend  of  Joseph  Smith, 
was  never  a  member  of  the  Church.  He,  however, 
testified  to  what  he  knew,  and  the  reader  will  do  well 
to  accept  his  testimony. 

As  the  most  important  events  of  Mr.  Smith's  life 
occurred  in  the  state  of  New  York  let  us  introduce 
another  witness  from  that  State,  a  neighbor  of  his. 
Some  of  the  books  written  to  cast  reproach  on  Mr. 
Smith  charge  him  with  being  a  chicken -thief  and  a 
sheep -thief.  We  almost  refrain  from  relating  that 
such  an  assertion  appeared  recently  in  the  Christian 
Herald  over  the  signature  of  General  John  Eaton 
in  a  series  of  articles  entitled,  "Mormonism  of 
to-day."  It  is  wonderful  how  much  self-assertion 
some  men  can  make.  One  man,  not  General  Eaton, 
however,  attempted  to  give  the  proof,  and  that  the 
sheep  was  stolen  from  a  Mr.  William  Stafford.  Below 
we  give  the  statement  of  Doctor  John  Stafford,  son 
of  William  Stafford  above  referred  to.  He  resides 
now  in  Rochester,  New  York.  Answering  the  ques- 
tion as  to  the  character  of  Joseph  Smith,  the  doctor 
said: 


JOSEPH  SMITH  73 

He  was  a  real  clever  boy.  What  Tucker  said  about  him  was 
false,  absolutely. 

What  about  that  black  sheep  your  father  let  them  have? 

I  have  heard  that  story,  but  don't  think  my  father  was  there 
at  the  time  they  say  Smith  got  the  sheep.  I  don't  know  any- 
thing about  it. 

You  were  living  at  home  at  the  time,  and  it  seems  you  ought 
to  know  if  they  got  a  sheep,  or  stole  one  from  your  father. 

They  never  stole  one,  I  am  sure;  they  may  have  got  one  some- 
time. 

Well,  doctor,  you  know  pretty  well  whether  that  story  is  true 
or  not  that  Tucker  tells.  What  do  you  think  of  it? 

I  don't  think  it  is  true.  I  would  have  heard  more  about  it  if  it 
had  been  true.  I  lived  a  mile  from  the  Smiths.  .  .  .  They  were 
peaceable  among  themselves.  .  .  .  Joe  was  illiterate.  After 
they  began  to  have  school  at  their  house  he  improved  greatly. 

If  the  above  is  the  strongest  evidence  (and  it  is  all 
we  have  seen)  to  prove  that  Mr.  Smith  was  "sus- 
pected of  sheep-stealing,"  then  he  need  have  no 
fears  to  stand  before  the  great  Judge  and  ask  that 
.his  enemies  be  heard,  that  they  may  be  condemned 
out  of  their  own  mouths.  We  are  only  too  glad  to 
defend  such  a  character  as  Joseph  Smith  bears  not 
only  on  this  point  but  every  other.  Our  hearts  go 
out  in  great  sympathy  for  him  and  his  posterity 
because  of  the  ceaseless  uncalled  for  persecution 
heaped  upon  them.  What  must  be  their  feelings  to 
see  such  work,  but  being  men  of  honor  they  no  doubt 
look  at  the  matter  more  in  commiseration  than  con- 
demnation. Shame,  shame,  that  such  books  exist, 
and  shame  that  the  press  and  the  pulpit  should  per- 
petuate the  wrong ! 

We  next  introduce  the  testimony  of  Orlando  Saun- 
ders,  living  near  Manchester,  New  York.     On  being 


74  JOSEPH  SMITH 

asked  concerning  his  acquaintance  with  the  Smiths 
he  said : 

Well,  you  have  come  to  a  poor  place  to  find  out  anything.  I 
don't  know  anything  against  these  men  myself. 

Were  you  acquainted,  with  them,  Mr.  Saunders? 

Yes  sir;  I  knew  all  of  the  Smith  family  well;  there  were  six 
boys;  Alvin,  Hyrum,  Joseph,  Harrison,  William,  and  Carlos, 
and  there  were  two  girls;  the  old  man  was  a  cooper;  they  have 
all  worked  for  me  many  a. day;  they  were  very  good  people; 
Young  Joe  (as  we  called  him  then)  has  worked  for  me,  and  he 
wa^^ffoodworken  they  all  were.  I  did  not  consider  them 
goo^managersaDout  business,  but  they  were  poor  people.  The 
old  man  had  a  large  family. 

In  what  respect  did  they  differ  from  other  people,  if  at  all? 

1  neves  noticed  that  they  were  different  from  other  neighbors; 
they  were  the  best  family  in  the  neighborhood  in  case  of  sick- 
ness; one  was  at  my  house  nearly  all  the  time  when  my  father 
died;  I  always  thought  them  honest;  they  were  owing  me  some 
money  when  they  left  here.  .  .  .  One  of  them  came  back  in 
about  a  year  and  paid  me.  .  .  . 

How  well  did  you  know  young2  Joseph  Smith? 

Oh!  just  as  well  as  one  could  very  well;  he  has  worked  for  me 
many  a  time,  and  been  about  my  place  a  great  deal.  He  stopped 
with  me  many  a  time,  when  through  here,  after  they  went  west 
to  Kirtland;  he  was  always  a  gentleman  when  about  my  place. 

The  above  will  answer  the  evil  story  that  Joseph 
Smith  was  a  low,  lazy,  dishonest  boy,  springing  from 
a  family  of  the  same  sort,  as  stated  by  some  of  the 
leading  encyclopedias  without  any  proof  or  even 
attempt  at  proof. 

Let  these  testimonies  be  sufficient  to  show  what 
Mr.  Smith's  life  was  in  the  state  of  New  York.  Now 
let  those  who  wish  to  search  further  examine  the 
court  and  criminal  records  in  that  or  any  other  State 

2  This  expression,  "young  Joseph,"  refers  to  the  founder  of  the  Church— the 
subject  of  our  sketch.    His  father's  name  was  Joseph  Smith  and  his  son's  also. 


f 


JOSEPH  SMITH  75 


and  find  if  they  can  the  name  of  Joseph  Smith  of 
whom  we  write  judged  guilty  of  any  crime  whatever. 
It  can  not  be  found  or  his  enemies  would  have 
printed  it  long  ago  in  red  and  gold  from  one  end  of 
this  continent  to  the  other  and  even  across  the  sea. 
Though  he  was  arrested  many  times  yet  not  once  was 
he  found  guilty,  but  the  stories  told  on  those  occa- 
sions, though  they  had  no  weight  with  judge  and 
jury,  furnished  the  rabble  with  material  for  talk,  and, 
judging  from  public  opinion,  many  persons  would 
rather  listen  to  those  false  witnesses  than  to  accept 
the  decisions  rendered,  though  they  themselves 
would  decline  at  once  to  be  treated  in  the  same  way. 

OHIO. 

The  following  from  Judge  Samuel  Murdock  of 
Elkader,  Iowa,  as  published  in  the  Dubuque  Daily 
Times,  April  13,  1893,  is  plain  and  to  the  point.  Mr. 
Murdock  was  raised  in  Ohio  where  Joseph  Smith 
lived,  and  went  to  school  with  children  who  were 
reared  in  the  Latter  Day  Saint  faith.  He  afterward 
moved  to  Iowa  where  he  served  one  or  two  terms  in 
the  State  Legislature  and  for  many  years  served  as 
county  judge  in  Clayton  County.  He  died  but 
recently  at  his  home,  an  honored  and  well-respected 
old  man.  He  was  considered  the  chief  Democratic 
speaker  in  Northeastern  Iowa.  A  man  also  who  had 
made  a  collection  of  Indian  relics  and  lectured  occa- 
sionally on  "The  Mound-builders."  In  faith  he  was 
a  Catholic  : 

Editor  Dubuque  Daily  Times;  Dear  Sir:  In  your  article  on 
the  Mormon  Church  contained  in-  your  issue  of  April  12  you 
say:  "It  was  founded  by  an  ignorant,  dissipated  member  of  a 


; 


(H\AA  A 


76  JOSEPH  SMITH 

vicious  family  which  had  a  well-earned  reputation  of  being 
thieves  and  drunkards,  etc."  Knowing  your  reputation  for 
kindness,  fairness,  and  sympathy,  I  do  not  believe  that  you 
would  willfully  or  knowingly  inflict  a  pang  or  a  pain  in  the 
bosom  of  any  one  of  our  fellow  creatures  unless  it  was  done 
without  a  knowledge  on  your  part  of  the  true  facts  in  the  case. 

I  have  no  more  sympathy  or  feeling  for  either  branch  of  the 
Mormon  Church  than  you  have,  but  I  have  a  strong  sympathetic 
feeling  and  friendship  for  some  of  the  Smith  family,  who  are 
still  living,  and  to  whom  your  language  above  quoted,  does  great 
injustice,  and  I  also  know  that  when  you  hear  from  me  a  few 
facts,  your  kindness  will  prompt  you  to  repair  in  some  manner 
the  wrong  you  have  inflicted  upon  them. 

Kirtland  (Ohio)  is  situated  in  the  county  in  which  I  was 
raised  from  youth  to  manhood,  and  at  the  time  Smith  and  hi-i 
Mormons  settled  there  I  was  nearly  man  grown,  and  some  of 
them  were  my  immediate  neighbors,  with  whose  children  I  was 
often  schoolmate,  and  I  often  met  their  prophet,  Joseph  Smith, 
although  I  was  not  personally  acquainted  with  him.  ...  I  lived 
among  the  daily  talk  of  the  "New  Faith"  or  "Latter  Day 
Saints,"  as  they  were  sometimes  called  at  that  time.  From  the 
time  they  settled  in  my  county  until  they  left  it,  I  must  say  that 
during  all  that  time  I  never  heard  Joseph  Smith  called  a  thief,  a 
drunkard,  or  a  vicious  man,  even  by  his  worst  enemies,  and  my 
recollection  of  him  to  this  day  is  that  he  was  a  tall,  graceful, 
good-looking  man,  continually  wearing  a  smile  on  his  face  for 
every  one,  and  that  he  was  a  kind-hearted,  generous  friend  and 
companion.  SAMUEL  MURDOCH. 

In  the  above  we  leave  out  a  part  which  refers  to 
William  Smith,  Oliver  Cowdery,  etc.,  as  our  aim  is 
only  to  discuss  the  work  and  character  of  Joseph 
Smith.  The  above  letter  contains  much  praise  for 
other  members  of  the  Church,  but  we  have  neither 
room  nor  desire  to  quote  it  all.  The  language  of  Mr. 
Murdock  shows  him  to  be  a  kind-hearted,  honest, 
fearless  man.  He  could  easily  have  drifted  along 
with  public  opinion  and  closed  his  eyes  when  he  saw 


A 

JOSEPH  SMITH  77 

• 

the  innocent  made  to  suffer,  but  he  chose  to  speak 
out  even  though  histories,  encyclopedias,  and  daily 
papers  were  against  him.  We  wonder  how  many 
when  they  read"  these  lines  will  dare  to  stand  for  the 
right  as  he  did? 

We  next  call  attention  to  the  statement  of  I.  P. 
Axtell,  a  large  farmer  and  for  many  years  a  director 
in  the  First  National  Bank,  of  Painesville,  Ohio,  a 
man  of  energy  and  experience,  and  as  early  as  1844 
a  member  of  the  Whig  convention  at  Baltimore  which 
nominated  Henry  Clay  for  President  of  the  United 
States : 

When  did  you  come  to  the  country,  Mr.  Axtell? 

My  father  moved  here  with  his  family  in  1830.  I  was  a  boy 
then. 

What  was  your  father's  business? 

He  was  a  Baptist  minister,  and  kept  a  hotel  then. 

Did  you  know  Joseph  Smith? 

Yes,  sir,  I've  seen  him  many  a  time;  he  was  often  at  my 
father's  house;  and  I,  with  many  young  people,  often  went  to 
Kirtland  to  see  him  and  his  people.  I  knew  his  father  also,  who 
at  the  time  I  knew  him  had  charge  of  the  Kirtland  Temple.  He 
took  me  with  others  through  the  Temple  at  one  time.  He 
appeared  to  be  a  fine  old  man. 

When  did  your  father  become  acquainted  with  Mr.  Smith? 

In  about  six  months  after  he  came  to  the  county  he  first  met 
him;  he  went  out  of  his  way  six  miles  to  see  Joseph  Smith  and 
Sidney  Rigdon.  He  said  he  found  them  in  Kirtland  Township; 
they  had  been  there  but  a  short  time  and  occupied  a  small  log 
house.  He  found  them  to  be  quite  intelligent  men,  and  he  saidf 
pleasant  talkers,  and  quite  free  to  converse  upon  their  religious 
views,  which  at  that  time  was  known  as  the  "new  sect."  My 
father  always  said  Joseph  Smith  was  a  conscientious  and  upright 
man. 

Did  you  know  any  other  person  of  the  new  society? 

O,  yes,  a  great  many.  I  knew  Mr.  Pratt  very  well.  He  was  a 
smart  and  a  square  man  all1  around.  Those  men  were  neither 


4^^ 


78  JOSEPH  SMITH 

knaves  nor  rogues;  that  is  my  opinion  of  them.  \I  suppose  some 
of  them  may  hpve  been.  It  was  just  as  in  all  bodies  of  the 
kind,  there  will  be  some  bad  ones,  but  I  don't  know  of  any  that 
were.  \There  were  a  good  many  stories  circulated  that  I  know 
to  be  false.  At  one  time  an  ox  was  found  in  Kirtland  Town- 
ship, killed  and  skinned;  and  there  was  a  great  to  do  about  the 
Mormons  having  killed  it.  My  brother  was  sheriff  at  the  time, 
and  with  others  went  up  to  investigate  the  matter,  and  he  said 
there  was  not  the  least  evidence  which  showed  that  the  Mor- 
mons had  any  hand  in  the  killing  of  the  ox.  Persons  around, 
however,  who  hated  their  religion,  would  tell  that  they  did. 

How  was  it  that  people  did  not  like  them?  Were  they  not 
good  citizens? 

Yes,  they  were  as  good  citizens  as  those  of  any  society.  It 
was  the  fanatics  in  religion  that  tried  to  drive  those  men  out. 
There  were  a  great  many  conservative  men  in  our  county  at  that 
time  who  held  these  fanatics  back,  and  if  it  had  not  been  for 
this  they  would  have  gone  in  and  killed  them  all.  But  our 
intelligent  and  honorable  citizens  prevented  this. — Palmyra  to 
Independence,  pp.  335-337. 

To  impress  this  thought  indelibly  on  the  mind  of 
the  reader  we  repeat  a  part  of  this  man's  testimony: 
"Yes,  they  were  as  good  citizens  as  those  of  any 
society.  It  was  the  fanatics  in  religion  that  tried  to 
drive  these  men  out." 

The  above  statement  is  the  exact  truth.  Not  only 
was  it  true  of  that  time,  but  also  in  the  days  of  the 
New  Testament  writers.  It  was  the  Pharisees,  the 
most  fanatical  and  hypocritical,  who  were  first  and 
last  to  persecute  our  Savior  and  his  followers.  In 
fact,  the  first  murder  that  was  ever  committed  was 
by  a  man  who  had  offered  sacrifices.  The  most 
bitter  of  wars  have  been  religious  wars.  True  Chris- 
tianity, however,  has  never  shed  one  drop  of  blood 
except  in  self-defense.  Religion  may  be  one  thing, 
Christianity  another.  We  do  not  wish  to  be  under- 


ph  P T 


JOSEPH  SMITH  79 

stood  as  saying  that  all  others  except  Latter  Day 
Saints  are  bad.  Far  from  it.  There  is  perhaps  no 
church  in  the  world  that  looks  as  kindly  on  their 
religious  neighbors,  but  it  is  an  indisputable  fact 
that  every  persecution,  and  every  slander,  and  every 
misrepresentation  against  Joseph  Smith,  with  but 
few  exceptions,  are  traced  to  religious  bigots.  We 
are  sorry  that  it  is  so,  but  we  can  not  help  it.  In 
writing  of  this  matter  we  must  state  the  facts.  We 
are  glad  to  know,  however,  that  fanatics  and  bigots 
and  zealots  are  growing  less,  and  the  churches  are 
growing  more  liberal  every  day.  May  the  time 
hasten  along  when  all  will  be  willing  to  do  unto 
others  as  they  would  that  others  should  do  to  them. 
While  there  are  yet  many  fanatics  who  refuse  to 
reason  in  many  of  the  churches,  yet  there  are  many 
as  honest  and  devout  as  the  world  ever  contained, 
but  even  these  will  not  object  to  going  on  unto  per- 
fection, even  though  it  can  be  more  nearly  accom- 
plished in  the  Latter  Day  Saint  Church  than  in  any 
other. 

Below  we  give  the  testimony  of  another  disinter- 
ested witness,  as  published  in  Zion's  Ensign  of  Inde- 
pendence, Missouri,  in  March,  1899: 

AKRON,  Ohio,  March  9, 1899. 

I,  the  undersigned,  was  born  in  York  State,  in  the  town  of 
Sharzee,  on  March  9,  1816.  In  1819  my  father  moved  to  Hunt- 
ington  Township,  Chittenden  County,  Vermont.  In  1835  he 
moved  to  within  four  miles  of  Akron,  Ohio,  which  locality  has 
been  my  place  of  residence  till  the  present.  On  the  Dodge  farm, 
three  miles  north  of  New  Portage,  we  lived  from  1836  to  1839. 
This  was  on  the  line  of  travel  westward  of  the  Latter  Day  Saints 
in  those  days. 

A  more  honest,  nice  people  I  never  met.     They  bought  sup- 


80  JOSEPH  SMITH 

plies  of  my  father  and  camped  in  front  of  our  house  near  a  large 
spring.    A  camp  would  remain  for  days  sometimes. 

Public  meetings  were  held  in  New  Portage,  in  the  residence 
of  a  Mr.  Palmer;  also  in  a  warehouse.  When  the  weather 
would  admit,  in  open  air;  also  in  tents  and  barns.  I  attended 
their  meetings  often.  Honesty,  morality,  and  right  living  were 
characteristics  of  their  teaching,  and  their  practice  conformed 
to  this.  I  never  knew  one  to  fail  to  pay  for  what  he  got. 
Father  had  much,  too,  they  could  have  stolen,  but  we  never 
missed  a  thing. 

They  were  quite  and  orderly,  especially  on  the  Sabbath.  They 
were  a  people  who  were  well  brought  up,  were  good  society,  and 
I  felt  lonesome  when  they  would  break  camp. 

Various  ones,  Palmer,  Baker,  Whipple,  Brunson,  Griffiths, 
and  Taylor  owned  farms;  also  some  others,  whose  names  I  can 
not  recall.  They  all  were  good  citizens. 

I  heard  Joseph  Smith  and  his  father,  the  Patriarch,  both 
preach.  They  preached  good  morals  and  manifested  the  sarite 
in  their  lives.  I  don't  know  why  they  were  so  misrepresented; 
there  was  no  cause  for  it;  they  were  perfect  gentlemen. 

I  knew  Oliver  Cowdery,  heard  him  preach  often;  he,  too,  was 
a  gentlemen,  and  his  preaching  good  and  of  an  elevating  influ- 
ence on  the  rising  generation. 

My  parents  at  that  time  were  Free-will  Baptists.  They  often 
took  some  of  the  campers  who  were  sick  into  the  house  and 
cared  for  them.  I  never  have  belonged  to  any  church. 

My  object  in  this  statement  is  simply  to  tell  the  facts  in  the 
case  as  in  any  other  matter  within  my  knowledge. 

Signed,  SMITH  BUNKER. 

A.  R.  MANCHESTER,  ~\ 

ELLA  MANCHESTER,     I  Witnesses. 

R.  ETZENHOUSER. 


MISSOURI. 

/     From  Ohio  Mr.  Smith  and  a  large  number  of  his 

/   followers    moved    to  Jackson,    Clay,    Caldwell,    and 

other  counties  in  Missouri.     It  was  in  this  State  that 

persecution  ran  wild  and  the  Saints  were  attacked 

frequently    with    great    brutality    and    robbed    and 


JOSEPH  SMITH  81 

plundered.  Their  homes  were  burned,  their  stock 
killed  or  driven  away,  their  crops  destroyed,  their 
wives  and  families  insulted  and  driven  out  in  the 
snow,  and  finally  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet  were 
forced  to  sign  over  their  titles  to  lands  for  which  they 
had  paid  to  satisfy  the  demands  of  the  mob.  Men, 
women,  and  children  were  shot  or  cut  to  pieces  with 
corn-knives.  The  mob  spared  not  old,  helpless  men, 
who  had  fought  for  their  country  in  the  Revolution, 
or  boys  scarcely  old  enough  to  reason.  Women  gave 
birth  to  children  in  the  snow  and  some  died  of 
exposure.  Joseph  Smith  was  arrested,  together  with 
several  of  the  leading  men  of  the  Church,  and  for 
several  months  confined  in  a  damp,  filthy  dungeon 
awaiting  a  trial  that  never  came,  for  he  was  released 
after  his  people  had  all  fled  from  the  State,  (jit  was 
from  this  same  state  of  Missouri  that  the  James  and 
Younger  gangs  afterward  arose.  Men  from  here 
figured  largely  in  the  war  with  the  Corn-crackers,  as 
they  sought  to  establish  slavery  in  the  state  of 
Kansas,  and  there  and  near  there  was  the  seat  of  the 
bush-whackers  during  the  Rebellion.  Is  it  any 
wonder  that  a  company  of  people,  so  different  in 
sentiment  and  practice,  were  driven  out  by  them?) 

The  first  witness  from  this  State,  whom  we  wish  to 
introduce  to  testify  in  behalf  of  Joseph  Smith,  is 
Joseph  H.  Reynolds,  who  was  a  brother  of  the  Gov- 
ernor of  the  state  of  Missouri  in  1843.  Not  only  was 
he  a  brother  of  the  Governore  but  State  agent  in  the 
case  of  Joseph  Smith,  as  the  following  will  show: 

Executive  Department,  City  of  JEFFERSON. 
Know  ye  that  I,  Thomas  Reynolds,  Governor  of  the  state  of 
Missouri,  having  full  trust  and  confidence  in  the  integrity  and 


-\ 


82  JOSEPH  SMITH 

abilities  of  Joseph  H.  Reynolds,  do  hereby  constitute  and 
appoint  him  as  the  agent  of  the  said  state  of  Missouri,  to  pro- 
ceed to  the  state  of  Illinois,  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  from 
the  proper  authorities  of  that  State,  one  Joseph  Smith,  Jr., 
charged  with  treason  by  him  committed  against  the  state  of 
Missouri,  and  as  having  fled  from  justice  to  the  state  of  Illinois, 
and  I  do  hereby  authorize  and  direct  said  Joseph  H.  Reynolds 
to  convey  said  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.,  from  the  state  of  Illinois,  and 
deliver  him  to  the  custody  of  the  sheriff  of  Daviess  County  in 
the  state  of  Missouri. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my 

[L.  S.]      hand,  and  caused  to  be  affixed  the  great  seal  of  the 
state  of  Missouri. 

Done  at  the  city  of  Jefferson  this  thirteenth  day  of  June  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  forty-three. 

By  the  Governor, 

THOMAS  REYNOLDS. 
JAMES  L.  MINOR,  Secretary  of  State. 

—Church  History,  vol.  2,  p.  664. 

The  above  Joseph  H.  Reynolds,  who  was  the 
brother  of  the  Missouri  magistrate,  wrote  a  letter 
to  Joseph  Smith,  July  29,  1843,  after  a  long  and 
expensive  trial  between  Joseph  Smith  and  the  state 
of  Missouri  as  to  the  guilt  of  Joseph  Smith.  This 
letter  is  still  in  the  possession  of  the  Church  Histo- 
rian, a  part  of  which  is  as  follows : 

On  my  return  from  Nauvoo  I  found  Governor  Ford  absent  on 
public  business  at  Rock  Island,  from  whence  he  did  not  return 
for  a  week  after  I  arrived.  I  presented  him  a  detailed  report  of 
my  investigations,  in  which  the  fact  is  fully  established  that 
neither  you  nor  your  people  were  guilty  of  any  violence  or  dis- 
orderly or  unlawful  conduct  whatever;  but  that  throughout  the 
whole  of  the  unpleasant  scene  connected  with  your  arrest,  and 
the  ill  treatment  which  you  received,  your  and  their  conduct  was 
that  of  peaceful,  law-abiding,  and  good  citizens.  He  is  per- 
fectly satisfied  on  that  point.  .  .  . 

As  to  the  other  points,  I  can  assure  you,  with  perfect  confi- 


JOSEPH  SMITH  83 

dence,  that  with  the  evidence  now  before  him,  he  will  issue  no 
more  writs — that  he  will  be  perfectly  satisfied  that  the  demand 
in  Missouri  is  not  only  unjust  (as  he  before  believed  it  to  be) 
but  so  palpably  illegal  and  contrary  to  the  meaning  of  the  Con- 
stitution as  to  release  him  for  ever  from  all  obligation  to  give 
you  up,  and  enable  him  to  justify  himself  before  the  world  in 
refusing  to  do  so. — History  of  the  Church,  vol.  2,  p.  707. 

From  Bancroft's  History  of  Utah,  page  164,  we 
copy  the  following : 

But  when  the  testimony  on  both  sides  is  carefully  weighed,  it 
must  be  admitted  that  the  Mormons  in  Missouri  and  Illinois 
were,  as  a  class,  a  more  moral,  honest,  temperate,  hard-work-     \ 
ing,  self-denying,  and  thrifty  people  than  the  Gentiles  by  whom 
thsy  were  surrounded. 

This  was  written  of  the  people  under  the  presidency 
of  Joseph  Smith.  Quite  a  tribute  from  so  honorable 
a  source,  and  quite  a  band  of  honorable  people  to 
follow  such  a  dishonorable  leader  as  people  often 
believe  Joseph  Smith  to  have  been.  But  think  of  it! 
Does  it  look  reasonable  that  he  could  have  been  a 
bad  man  and  be  retained  as  leader  of  such  a  people? 
We  write  "retained"  because,  contrary  to  the  general 
opinion,  the  Church  had  the  right  and  the  power  to 
expel  him  from  the  Church  for  wrong-doing  just  the 
same  as  any  other  person  in  it.  The  reader  must 
remember  that  Joseph  Smith  did  not  make  himself 
president  of  the  Church,  but  was  chosen  to  that 
position  by  the  Church  and  sustained  in  that  position 
from  conference  to  conference  on  his  good  behavior. 
If  many  writers  who  oppose  the  Latter  Day  Saints  on 
the  ground  that  Joseph  Smith's  word  was  law,  only 
understood  the  laws  of  the  Church,  it  would  save 
them  many  a  shameful  blunder.  Not  only  was 
Joseph  Smith  indorsed  in  the  position  of  president  of 


84  JOSEPH  SMITH 

the  Church  by  the  Church  itself,  but  two  others  were 
chosen  to  hold  equal  authority  with  him.  Reader,  do 
you  think  an  impostor  would  give  the  balance  of 
power  in  the  hands  of  two  others?  Does  that  look 
like  the  work  of  an  impostor?  He  did  that  very 
thing  and  also  gave  a  rule  to  the  members  whereby 
he  might  be  expelled  at  any  time  if  in  transgression. 
How  comes  it  that  the  enemies  have  so  much  to  say 
about  Joseph  Smith  while  two  others,  each  as  much 
a  president  as  himself,  escape  their  slanderous  pens? 
Besides,  through  Joseph  Smith  was  given  a  law  pro- 
viding for  a  special  church  court  to  try  any  of  these 
three  presidents  in  case  they  fell  into  transgression. 
To  say  that  Mr.  Smith  successfully  evaded  the  com- 
mon law  of  the  Church,  the  special  court,  and,  like- 
wise, the  law  of  the  land,  is  sufficient  answer  to  the 
charge  of  his  being  ignorant.  But  if  he  were  ever  so 
cunning  or  ever  so  wise  we  think  he  could  not  have 
kept  his  crimes  so  well  hid.  This  is  sufficient  answer 
of  itself  to  the  charge  that  he  was  a  bad  man,  while 
being  retained  as  one  of  the  leaders  of  such' a  people 
as  described  by  Bancroft.  Ah,  if  makers  of  ency- 
clopedias and  writers  of  books  and  histories  only 
knew! 

Yes,  if  they  only  knew  I 

If  they  only  knew ! 

If  they  only. knew  I 

Yes,  if  they  only  knew  that  Joseph  Smith  retained 
his  position  by  consent  of  the  people  it  might  save 
them  many  an  egregrioiis  blunder,  and  save  them 
the  shame  before  our  heavenly  Father's  face  when 
they  find  how  they  have  slandered  the  innocent  and 
heaped  contumely  and  vituperation  on  him  and  his 


JOSEPH   SMITH  85 

posterity,  and  not  only  upon  them  but  upon  good 
men  and  women  everywhere  who  are  earnestly  and 
humbly  trying  to  serve  God,  after  the  apostolic  plan 
restored  through  Joseph  Smith. 

From  Joseph  Smith  son  of  Joseph  we  clip  the  fol- 
lowing editorial  from  the  Saints9  Herald  for  Novem- 
ber 5,  1902 : 

A  SAFEGUARD  AGAINST    IMPOSITION. 

Whatever  may  be  said  about  the  folly,  deception,  or  fanati- 
cism of  the  Latter  Day  Saints,  or  the  human  founder  of  the 
Church,  Joseph  Smith,  it  must  be  conceded  that  he  gave  to 
those  who  in  faith  and  doctrine  became  his  companions  in 
belief,  a  most  excellent  safeguard  against  imposition  in  doc- 
trine, good  even  against  himself.  It  was  this;  that  every  mem- 
ber of  the  Church  was  entitled  to  and  might  receive  of  the  spirit 
of  revelation  in  such  way  and  form  as  would  be  calculated  to 
give  to  him  the  knowledge  whether  the  doctrine  was  true  or  not. 

It  is  true  that  this  safeguard  was  first  stated  by  Jesus  while 
here  in  his  ministry.  But  the  Christian  having  "turned  heathen 
again,"  as  was  stated  by  John  Wesley,  acceptance  and  belief  in 
the  provision  were  covered  up  by  the  passing  of  time  and  the 
falling  away;  so  that  when  Joseph  Smith  began  his  career 
there  were  few  to  credit  his  report.  Nevertheless,  he  at  once 
put  himself  at  the  mercy  of  those  to  whom  he  taught  the  angel's 
message  by  boldly  telling  them  what  the  Master  had  stated,  He 
that  will  do  the  will  of  my  Father  shall  know  of  the  doctrine, 
whether  it  is  of  God,  or  I  speak  of  myself;  and  avowing  his 
absolute  faith  in  the  proposition  that  if  any  one  who  was  really 
honest,  and  earnestly  desired  to  know,  if  he  went  to  God  with 
full  purpose  of  heart  asking  for  knowledge,  conviction,  or  direc- 
tion, would  be  dealt  with  fairly  by  the  Lord,  and  receive  a 
knowledge  for  himself  that  the  doctrine  was  true.  No  reformer 
ever  did  this.  None  ever  so  completely  put  confidence  in  the 
word  of  Jesus  Christ.  No  one  of  them  chose  to  so  trust  the 
issue  of  his  cause  to  the  answer  to  be  given  to  prayer.  But 
Joseph  Smith  did  so  teach;  and  to-day  those  who  accepted  his 
teaching  and  followed  the  direction  to  appeal  to  God  for 


86  JOSEPH   SMITH 

evidence  of  its  truth  have  for  three  quarters  of  a  century  been 
putting-  the  matter  to  the  test,  and  multiplied  thousands  to-day 
rise  up  to  testify  that  their  faith  and  trust  have  been  answered 
by  testimony  of  the  truth. 
Put  it  to  the  test  again,  and  be  happy  in  the  Lord. 

Mrs.  Austin,  in  her  book  entitled  "Mormonism," 
on  page  58,  makes  the  following  admission: 

The  members  now  numbered  (1831  at  Kirtland)  about  one 
hundred  persons,  the  greater  part  of  whom  were  the  brightest 
and  best  of  the  community,  merchants,  lawyers,  and  doctors. 

By  this  we  see  that  the  Church  of  Latter  Day 
Saints  was  not  started  by  the  low  and  ignorant,  as 
thought  by  some.  Doubtless,  as  they  increased,  they 
gathered  into  their  ranks  men  of  like  ability. 

From  a  book  entitled  Columbus  and  Columbia,  by 
James  G.  Elaine,  J.  W.  Buell,  John  C.  Ridpath,  and 
Benjamin  Butterworth,  we  extract  the  following 
from  page  599,  under  the  heading,  "Rise  of  the 
Mormons": 

This  sect,  under  the  leadership  of  their  prophet,  Joseph 
Smith,  made  their  first  important  settlement  in  Jackson  County, 
Missouri.  .  .  .  Here  their  numbers  increased  to  fifteen  thou- 
sand. They  were  a  peaceful  people  and  others  flocked  to  their 
community.  .  .  .  This  extraordinary  growth  (ten  thousand  at 
Nauvoo)  and  the  peculiar  manner  and  doctrine  of  the  Saints, 
raised  the  hatred  of  the  people  round  about,  who  in  abilities, 
refinement,  and  culture  were  by  no  means  equal  to  the  Mormons. 

Does  it  not  look  just  a  little  strange  that  people  of 
superior  refinement  and  culture  could  have  been 
deluded  by  a  fanatic?  Fanatics  do  not  reason.  Yet 
the  Latter  Day  Saints,  including  Joseph  Smith,  have 
always  been  and  are  now  willing  to  compare  their 
faith  with  any  other  from  a  Bible  standpoint.  Does 
that  look  like  delusion?  Rather  say  it  is  they  who 


JOSEPH  SMITH  SI 


revile  them  without  a  cause,  and  who  will  not  read 
or  listen  to  anything  but  their  own  faith,  who  are 
deluded  —  who  are  fanatics. 

^  The  following  is  taken  from  the  Kansas  City  Jour- 
nal and  republished  in  the  Saints9  Herald  for  August 
1,  1881: 

There  is  probably  no  man  in  Western  Missouri  who  is  better 
acquainted  with  the  various  causes  of  the  difficulties  between 
the  citizens  of  Jackson  and  Caldwell  Counties  [Missouri]  and  the 
Mormons  during  the  years  of  1833  and  1838,  than  General  Alex- 
ander W.  Doniphan,  then  a  resident  of  Clay  County,  but  now  of 
Richmond,  Ray  County,  Missouri.  .  .  .  After  a  few  introduc- 
tory remarks,  he  related  the  following: 

"I  came  to  Missouri  in  1830.  .  .  .  The  Mormons  came  in  1830. 

"What  kind  of  people  were  the  Mormons? 

"They  were  Northern  people,  who,  on  account  of  their  declin- 
ing to  own  slaves  and  their  denunciation  of  the  system  of 
slavery,  were  termed  'Free-soilers.  '  The  majority  of  them  were 
intelligent,  industrious,  law-abiding  citizens.  .  .  .  While  the^ 
\MormonsVesided  in  Clay  County,  they  were  a  peaceable,  sober, 
industrious,  and  law-abiding  people,  and  during  their  stay  with 
us  not  one  was  ever  accused  of  a  crime  of  any  kind." 

General  Doniphan  is  now  in  his  seventy-third  year,  but  is  still 
hale  and  hearty.  He  is  a  man  of  fine  appearance  and  intellect, 
and  is  well  known  and  highly  respected  all  over  the  State. 

One  more  testimony  and  then  we  pass  on  to  notice 
the  character  of  Joseph  Smith  and  his  people  in 
Illinois  : 

Statement  of  Mr.  E.  S.  Sebree,  of  Blendsville,  Missouri,  made 
May  21,  1895: 

"I  was  born  in  Kentucky,  in  1816,  and  came  to  Missouri  in 
1835.  I  was  a  member  of  the  State  militia  that  went  from  Lib- 
erty, Clay  County,  Missouri,  to  Far  West,  in  Captain  Moss' 
company,  and  was  present  at  the  surrender  of  Joseph  Smith  and 
others  on  the  public  square  in  the  city  of  Far  West;  and  waa 
with  the  detail  and  went  to  Liberty  with  them  as  guard,  where 
they  were  placed  in  jail  in  the  month  of  November,  1838. 


JOSEPH  SMITH 

'Joseph  Smith  was,  in  my  opinion,  a^ood  man.  I  never  saw 
or  heard  anything  to  the  contrary.  As  for  his  being  a  thief, 
murderer,  or  a  bad,  vicious  man,  I  did  not  believe  it  then,  nor 
do  I  believe  it  now.  He  was  a  fine  appearing  man,  and  would 
compare  favorably  with  any  other  minister  of  my  acquaintance. 
I  never  heard  anything  of  the  doctrine  of  polygamy.  It  was  not 
talked  of,  nor  heard  of,  to  my  knowledge;  and  the  Latter  Day 
Saints,  as  a  class,  in  my  opinion,  was  as  virtuous  a  class  of 
people  as  I  ever  saw;  not  a  taint  of  suspicion  of  any  kind  did  I 
ever  hear  against  any  of  them  so  far  as  prostitution  was  con- 
cerned. 

"I  do  not  belong  to  any  church;  and  have  no  motive  in  mak- 
ing this  statement  only  that  the  truth  may  be  known ;  neither 
am  I  prejudiced  in  favor  of  the  Latter  Day  Saints,  for  I  was  a 
proslavery  man,  and  naturally  opposed  to  the  free-soil  ideas  of 
the  Latter  Day  Saints,  whichf  in  my  opinion,  was  the  cause  of 
their  expulsion  from  the  state  of  Missouri. 

"Signed,  E.  S.  SEBREE. 

"Hearing  the  above  conversation,  we  are  witnesses. 

"T.  W.  CHATBURN. 
"R.  M.  MALONEY. 
"L.  W.  MABERRY." 
— Zion's  Ensign,  1895. 


ILLINOIS. 


In  a  work  entitled  Figures  of  the  Past,  by  Josiah 
Quincy,  we  find  the  following  on  pages  376  and  377: 

It  is  by  no  means  improbable  that  some  future  text-book  for 
the  use  of  generations  yet  unborn,  will  contain  a  question  some- 
thing like  •  this :  What  historical  American  of  the  nineteenth 
century  exerted  the  most  powerful  influence  upon  the  destinies 
of  his  countrymen?  And  it  is  by  no  means  improbable  that  the 
answer  to  that  interrogatory  may  be  thus  written:  Joseph 
Smith,  the  Mormon  prophet.  And  the  reply,  absurd  as  it  now 
seems  to  most  men  now  living,  may  be  an  obvious  commonplace 
to  their  descendants.  History  deals  in  surprises  and  paradoxes* 
quite  as  startling  as  this.  The  man  who  establishes  a  religion 
in  this  age  of  free  debate,  who  was  and  is  to-day  accepted  by 


AMI 


JOSEPH  SMITH  89 


hundreds  of  thousands  as  a  direct  emissary  from  the  Most  High 
—  such  a  rare  human  being  is  not  to  be  dispose^  of  by  pelting 
his  memory  with  unsavory  epithets. 

Mr.  Quincy  was  a  relative  of  John  Quincy  Adams, 
and  graduate  of  Harvard  College,  class  of  1821.  He, 
in  company  with  Honorable  Charles  Francis  Adams 
and  Doctor  Goforth,  visited  and  interviewed  Joseph 
Smith  in  May,  1844,  forty-three  days  before  Mr. 
Smith  was  murdered. 

Following  is  the  testimony  of  one  who  knew  Joseph 
Smith  at  the  time  of  his  death  : 

MACON,  Missouri,  August  3,  1896. 

This  is  to  certify  that  I,  T.  F.  O'Daniel,  was  born  in  Phila- 
delphia, Pennsylvania,  and  that  I  lived  in  Warsaw,  Illinois, 
during  the  "Mormon  War"  or  Nauvoo  troubles.  Was  well 
acquainted  with  Joseph  Smith  the  Prophet,  and  regarded  him 
then,  and  do  yet,  as  an  honest,  upright  man,  conscientious  and 
fearless  in  what  he  deemed  right.  I  have  heard  him  teach  and 
preach  in  Nauvoo,  but  never  heard  him  or  any  one  else  teach  or 
speak  of  polygamy  being  a  doctrine  of  the  Church  ;  in  fact,  I 
did  not  know  of  anything  of  that  kind  until  in  after-years  it 
came  from  Salt  Lake  City  that  the  Mormons  were  practicing 
polygamy. 

I  further  state  that  I  am  acquainted  with  the  facts  leading  to 
the  killing  of  Joseph  Smith,  at  Carthage  jail,  and  know  the  men 
who  were  in  the  mob.  The  real  cause,  in  my  opinion,  was  that 
the  Saints  were  all  "Whigs,"  or  antislavery  men,  and  voted 
the  antislavery  ticket,  which  finally  led  to  the  troubles,  and 
final  killing  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith. 

T.  F.  O'DANIEL. 

T.  W.  CHATBURN,  ~] 

M.  M.  TURPEN,        I  Witnesses. 

F.  PALFREY,  J 

From  Governor  Ford's  message  to  the  legislature, 
dated  December  23,  1844,  we  extract  the  following: 

Justice,  however,  requires  me  here  to  say,  that  I  have  investi- 
gated the  charge  of  promiscuous  stealing,  and  find  it  to  be 


90  JOSEPH   SMITH 

greatly  exaggerated.  I  could  not  ascertain  that  there  were  a 
greater  proportion  of  thieves  in  that  community  than  any  other 
of  the  same  number  of  inhabitants;  and  perhaps  if  the  city  of 
Nauvoo  were  compared  with  St.  Louis,  pr  any  other  Western 
city,  the  proportion  would  not  be  so  great. — Message  of  the  Gov- 
ernor of  the  State  of  Illinois;  see  also  Church  History,  vol.  2, 
p.  646. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  many  other  people 
than  Latter  Day  Saints  lived  in  Nauvoo,  and  at  the 
particular  time  Governor  Ford  made  his  investigation 
the  enemies  were  making  an  extra  effort  to  prove 
them  guilty.  Many  things  were  stolen  and  lodged  in 
the  city  and  charged  to  the  "Mormons,"  but  there  is 
no  evidence  that  any  member  of  the  Church  was 
among  the  thieves  that  Governor  Ford  refers  to.  But 
admitting  that  a  part  of  them  were,  it  is  not  wonder- 
ful, seeing  that  they  were  only  human;  but  the  ques- 
tion is,  Did  the  Church  teach  stealing,  or  did  Joseph 
Smith  advise  it?  There  is  perhaps  no  society  in  the 
world  but  there  may  be  found  in  it  some  who  do 
not  observe  the  law,  but  that  is  no  fault  of  the  law. 
Governor  Ford,  however,  pays  a  high  tribute  to  the 
followers  of  Joseph  Smith  when  he  says  not  so  great 
a  proportion  of  thieves  was  found  in  Nauvoo  as  in 
other  Western  cities.  In  connection  with  this  the 
following  from  the  pen  of  R.  Etzenhouser  as  pub- 
lished in  Z ion's  Ensign  for  April  29,  1899,  indicates 
what  kind  of  people  the  teachings  of  Joseph  Smith 
made.  It  is  but  natural  that  his  followers  should 
be  like  himself.  Judging  of  him  by  his  character,  by 
his  teachings,  and  by  his  followers,  we  decide  in  his 
favor. 

In  1885  the  writer  of  this,  while  urging  Latter  Day  Saint 
claims  at  Viola,  Iowa,  with  others,  bad  vehement  opposition 


JOSEPH   SMITH  yi 

from  Reverend  Nathaniel  Pye,  of  the  Methodists,  who,  with 
Beadle  as  a  basis,  argued  that  the  early  Church  were  a  set  of 
criminals  of  the  deepest  dye.  Since  it  was  but  forty-one  years 
from  1844  to  1885  it  was  not  too  long  for  many  yet  to  be  found  in 
the  penitentiary  who  were  in  for  life  sentence.  A  man  of  age, 
twenty-one,  in  1844t  in  1885  would  be  but  sixty-two. 

Out  of  the  thousands  resident  at  Nauvoo  a  large  number  went 
into  Iowa;  from  these,  if  criminals,  a  good  crop  for  the  peniten- 
tiary should  have  been  harvested  by  the  sickle  of  law.  More- 
over the  Reorganized  Church  of  Latter  Day  Saints  had  been 
represented  in  the  State  for  about  thirty  years  by  quite  a  mem- 
bership. If  Latter  Day  Saintism  is  a  factory  producing  crimi- 
nals, then  here  was  a  field  twice  sown  in  plentiful  abundance, 
covering  forty-one  years.  It  would  be  the  legal  privilege,  as 
well  as  heaven-born  duty,  for  the  good  people  of  Iowa  to  land 
every  criminal  among  them  in'  that  "secure  abode"  —  the  peni- 
tentiary. So  just  to  see  how  Latter  Day  Saintism  could  stand 
that  kind  of  a  test,  I  repaired  to  the  Anamosa  Penitentiary. 
Not  a  Latter  Day  Saint  was  to  be  found,  causing  my  joy  to  be 
larger  than  my  surprise. 

The  Anamosa  Journal  of  August  27,  1885,  gave  extracts  from 
the  Warden's  Biennial  Report,  in  which  occurs  under  the  title, 


RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION. 


Congregational 8 

Christian 11 

Reform 5 

Campbellite ' 2 

United  Brethren 6 

Adventist 2 

Evangelist , 4 

Episcopal ; 9 

Protestant 3 

Presbyterian  T5 

Lutheran 16 

Jewish 1 

Quaker 1 

Baptist 24 

Methodist..                                                                       .  72 


92  JOSEPH   SMITHS 

Catholics 68 

Infidel 2 

None 22 

Total 281 

The  accomplished  and  able  writer,  Bancroft,  who  has  made  as 
thorough  a  study  of  this  subject  as  any  who  have  thus  far  dealt 
with  it,  says: 

"Whatever  may  be  said  of  Joseph  Smith,  it  must  be  admitted 
that  he  was  a  remarkable  man.  His  course  in  life  was  by  no 
means  along  a  flowery  path ;  his  death  was  like  that  which  too 
often  comes  to  that  of  a  founder  of  religion.  What  a  commen- 
tary on  the  human  mind  and  the  human  heart,  the  deeds  of 
those  who  live  for  the  love  of  God  and  man,  who  died  for  the 
love  of  God  and  man,  who  severally  and  collectively  professed 
the  highest  holiness,  highest  charity  and  humanity,  higher  by 
far  than  any  held  by  other  sect  or  nation  now  or  since  the  world 
began— how  lovely  to  behold,  to  write  and  mediate  on  their  dis- 
putings,  their  cruelties  and  injustice,  their  persecution  for  opin- 
ion's sake,  their  ravenous  hate  and  bloody  butcheries.'7 — F.  M. 
Sheehy,  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  Journal,  June  25,  1898, 
quoting  from  Bancroft's  History. 


;b 


We  have  been  thus  particular  to  remove  objections 
ased   on    false    reports,    circulated   against  Joseph   i 
j  Smith,  and  have  shown  that  if  he  was  a  servant  of  I 
/  God,  he  but  received  from  the  world  what  might  be  j 
I  expected:     "If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the  world  would f 
I   love  his  own;  but  because  ye  are  not  of  the  world,! 
but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  therefore  the 
world  hateth  you."— John  15: 19. 
"No  better  proof  could  be  given  that  the  work  Mr. 
Smith  performed  and  the  life  he  lived  was  after  the 
divine  pattern,  at  least  was  not  of  the  world  inasmuch 
as  he  received  only  their  hatred  with  few  noble  excep- 
tions.    Of  course  it  does  not  prove  that  he  was  right, 
simply  because  he  was  opposed  by  the  world,  but  it 


JOSEPH  SMITH  93 

does  testify  very  largely  in  his  favor  when  we  see 
their  persecutions  were  based  on  false  reports.  Jesus 
said  again,  "Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  revile 
you,  and  persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all  manner  of 
evil  against  you  falsely,"  Ifc  must  be  remembered 
that  Jesus  referred  to  the  Pharisees  and  Sadduces  as 
the  worldc  So  to-day  those  who  do  that  kind  of 
work,  whether  in  the  churches  or  out,  are  certainly 
not  of  God  and  are  therefore  of  the  world. 

We  have  been  asked  why  these  reports  were  not 
contradicted  before  now,  if  they  were  not  true.  They 
have  been  vigorously  denied  from  the  very  first;  and 
not  only  denied  but  disproven;  but  the  enemy  that 
actively  circulated  the  stories  as  actively  subdued 
the  denials.  Even  the  talented  Mr.  Talmage  per- 
mitted a  scathing,  erroneous  article  to  appear  in  the 
Christian  Herald,  from  General  John  Eaton,  to  sadly 
misrepresent  the  facts  concerning  Joseph  Smith,  and 
all  the  begging  and  imploring  that  we  could  do, 
would  not  induce  him  to  permit  us  to  correct  them, 
nor  would  he  do  so  himself.  What  system  would  not 
be  misunderstood  under  such  inhuman  persecution? 
When  General  Eaton's  first  article  on  "Mormonism 
of  to-day"  appeared  in  the  above-mentioned  Chris- 
tian Herald,  in  which  Joseph  Smith  was  denounced 
as  being  everything  but  a  gentleman,  and  especially 
charging  him  with  chicken -stealing,  the  writer  wrote 
him  and  asked  for  further  information  on  that  point; 
stating  that  in  the  various  books,  encyclopedias, 
and  newspapers  no  mention  was  made  of  stealing 
chickens.  We  told  him  that  we  were  anxious  to 
learn  the  facts  and  asked  him  from  whom  Mr. 
Smith  stole  the  chickens.  We  asked  that,  for  the 


94  JOSEPH   SMITH 

sake  of  justice  to  Mr.  Smith,  he  would  not  follow  the 
old  way,  but  give  the  proof  of  his  assertions,  as  it 
would  be  more  gratifying  to  many.  But  if  he  did  not 
care  to  publish  the  proofs  for  fear  of  making  his 
article  too  long,  would  he  be  kind  enough  to  answer 
whether  he  would  furnish  or  sell  the  proof  for  per- 
sonal benefit.  No  answer  was  received  to  that  letter. 
We  wrote  him  again  in  January,  1897,  pointing  out 
the  difference  between  the  Reorganized  Church  and 
the  one  in  Utah,  as  he  had  failed  to  make  any  dis- 
tinction in  his  second  article.  We  also  called  his 
attention  to  the  decisions  of  Judge  Sherman  and 
Judge  Philips,  and  asked  that  in  simple  justice,  both 
to  himself  and  to  the  Reorganization,  he  make  a  dis- 
tinction between  the  two  churches.  Those  who  read 
his  articles  know  it  never  was  done.  Others  wrote 
him  to  the  same  effect  about  the  same  time,  also  to 
the  editor,  asking  space  to  reply.  Our  official  church 
paper,  the  Saints'  Herald,  published  at  Lamoni, 
Iowa,  also  asked  that  a  distinction  be  made,  and 
afterwards  published  a  series  of  replies  from  the  pen 
of  T.  W.  Williams;  but  still  General  Eaton  goes  on 
in  his  blind  career,  deceiving  and  being  deceived. 
No  man  is  worse  deceived  than  he  who  is  deceiving 
himself.  None  are  so  blind  as  they  who  can  see  but 
will  not.  Kind  reader,  do  -you  think  such  a»writer 
should  be  believed?  But  then  the  General  is  taking 
the  wisest  course  for  error  to  take — the  only  course  it 
can  take  and  be  safe;  i.  e.,  shut  itself  away  from 
investigation  and  just  criticism. 


JOSEPH   SMITH 


CHAPTER  VI. 

PUBLIC  HAVE  No  GROUNDS  FOR  THEIR  PREJUDICE— PEOPLE  COM- 
MANDED TO  PROVE  ALL  THINGS— DESPISE  NOT  PROPHESYINGS 
—A  COMMAND  TO  CHRISTIANS— MUST  NOT  SEEK  TO  TEACH 
GOD— TRYING  POSITION  OF  A  PROPHET — No  NEED  OF  PROPH- 
ETS IN  THIS  ENLIGHTENED  AGE  (?)— UNCHANGE ABILITY  OF  GOD, 
CHRIST,  AND  THE  HOLY  GHOST  —  EUSEBIUS'  HISTORY  ON 
PROPHETS— PROPHETS  TO  CONTINUE  TILL  ALL  ARE  IN  UNITY 
OF  THE  FAITH — BIBLE  Now  INSTEAD  OF  PROPHETS  (?) — BIBLE 
INDICATES  LATTER-DAY  PROPHETS- JOEL  2  :  28 — PALESTINE 
RESTORED — BIBLE  CONTAINS  ALL  THAT  GOD  EVER  SPOKE  (?) 
— MUST  HAVE  BREAD  DIRECT  FROM  HEAVEN  —  PRESENT 
REVELATION  INDISPENSABLE  —  PROPHECIES  AND  KNOWLEDGE 
TO  CEASE  WHEN?  —  THE  "MORE  EXCELLENT  WAY"  —  CAN 
CIVILIZATION  OUTGROW  THE  LORD?— ALL  PROPHETS  MUST 
DIE  IN  JERUSALEM  (?)— WHEN  WILL  "THAT  WHICH  is  PER- 
FECT" COME?— UNCHANGEABLE  HOLY  SPIRIT  WILL  IMPART 
PROPHECY  AND  TONGUES  TO-DAY  AS  AT  ANY  OTHER  TIME. 

HAVING  answered  legitimately  the  evil  stories  told 
against  Joseph  Smith  before  proving  his  character 
good  we  next  proceed  to  answer  the  so-called  Bible 
objections  against  present-day  revelation  before 
referring  to  the  many  Bible  references  that  indicate 
a  latter-day  revelation  of  God's  will.  If  we  would 
see  clearly  we  must  keep  our  windows  free  from  rub- 
bish and  dust.  If  we  shall  be  able  to  help  the  reader 
to  see  this  matter  clearly  he  must  lay  aside  all  preju- 
dice, for  no  man  can  see  clearly  through  the  win- 
dows of  the  soul  with  a  biased  mind.  We  are  well 
aware  that  proof  would  be  of  little  worth  to  those 
who  look  through  objections  based  on  the  biased 
stories  of  their  fathers.  We  can  not  blame  people  so 


96  JOSEPH   SMITH 

much  for  being  prejudiced,  seeing  so  very  much  has 
been  said  against  Mr.  Smith  while  his  followers  being 
few  could  say  but  little,  but  when  they  hear  or  have 
the  opportunity  of  hearing  the  other  side  it  IB  only 
fair  that  they  lay  aside  their  prejudice  and  investi- 
gate for  themselves. 

The  Latter  Day  Saints  have  claimed  that  few  men 
have  honestly  investigated  their  faith  prayerfully  who 
did  not  admire  it  for  its  purity.  On  the  contrary, 
others  have  examined  it  with  a  feeling  of  hatred  and 
have  seen  only  what  to  them  seemed  error.  The 
reason  of  this  failure  to  see  correctly  was  because  the 
things  of  God  are  only  seen  by  the  Spirit  of  God; 
and  their  feelings  of  hatred  exclude  that  Spirit  from 
their  hearts.  We  shall  always  feel  that  those  who 
refuse  to  examine  the  facts  concerning  Mr.  Smith,  if 
they  have  time  and  opportunity  to  do  so,  are  really 
breaking  the  commandment  of  God,  which  says: 
"Prove  all  things." 

Another  part  of  this  text  reads:  "Despise  not 
prophesyings." — 1  Thessalonians  5:20.  This  latter 
part  of  the  text  is  as  much  a  part  of  God's  word  as 
the  former,  and  being  in  the  New  Testament  and 
written  to  Christians  is  for  all  who  live  to-day.  The 
Apostle  no  doubt  wrote  by  inspiration,  and  consider- 
ing the  fact  that  so-called  Christians  to-day  generally 
despise  prophets  and  prophesyings  it  is  no  wonder 
that  he  wrote  the  above  commandment.  There  are 
doubtless  few  in  the  popular  churches  who  could  look 
into  their  hearts  and  find  any  room  whatsoever  for 
this  commandment.  Neither  could  they  find  room 
for  the  "gifts"  of  the  unchangeable  Holy  Ghost. 
For  the  benefit  of  those  few  who  have  not  thus  shut 


JOSEPH  SMITH  97 

up  their  hearts  against  the  Spirit  of  God,  we  offer  the 
following  suggestions  which  we  think  necessary  in 
search  for  truth : 

God  expects  us  to  use  all  the  reason  we  possess  and 
as  much  more  as  we  can  implore  him  to  give  us,  and 
not  to  close  our  hearts  or  minds  against  light.  The 
latter  course  would  be  fanatical  and  productive  of 
darkness.  We  know  so  little  that  we  can  not  afford 
to  say  we  want  no  more.  It  is  folly  to  say  we  know 
it  all.  We  must  not  set  our  judgment  against  his  in 
matters  we  do  not  understand.  We  realize  this  fact 
in  all  the  walks  of  this  present  life.  For  instance : 
we  do  not  know  how  it  is  that  food  taken  into  our 
stomachs  becomes  flesh — live  flesh — and  bone,  and 
blood,  and  brain,  and  yet  we  know  it  is  so,  and  this 
law  of  God  has  never  changed  since  the  creation.  So 
also  with  the  "everlasting  gospel"  (Revelation  14:  6) 
— it  is  the  same  in  all  ages.  Though  man  may  change, 
God  never  does.  There  may  be  things  in  the  gospel 
we  do  not  understand,  but  is  that  any  reason  that  we 
should  not  obey?  Are  we  always  to  walk  by  sight? 
Must  we  not  sometimes  walk  by  faith?  Whatever 
God  has  written,  then,  we  must  obey  as  dutiful  chil- 
dren to  our  heavenly  Parent.  If  he  desires  to  speak 
to  us  to-day,  why  not  be  ready  and  even  anxious  to 
hear?  For  us  of  the  earth  to  seek  to  change  the  laws 
of  him  who  was  able  to  create  this  world  and  every 
other,  is  as  the  ravings  of  madmen.  God  has  said: 

For  my  thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts,  neither  are  your  ways 
my  ways,  saith  the  Lord.  For  as  the  heavens  are  higher  than 
the  earth,  so  are  my  ways  higher  than  your  ways  and  my 
thoughts  than  your  thoughts. — Isaiah  55:  8,  9. 

If  God  shall  see  the  need  of  prophets  now  to  bring 


98  JOSEPH  SMITH 

about  church  union — a  unity  of  the  faith,  dare  any 
one  say  "No"?  In  the  light  of  the  statement  that 
God  is  unchangeable  is  it  wise  to  think  otherwise? 
Where  is  the  foolish  man  who  would  attempt  to  tell 
God  what  he  shall  or  what  he  shall  not  do?  Think  of 
it, — is  .that  not  what  all  Protestantism  and  Catholicism 
are  saying  to  God?  "You  must  not  speak  any  more, 
we  will  not  hear,  and  if  you  attempt  it  we  will  kill 
your  messengers  and  despise  those  who  hear  them." 
For  shame!  Surely  the  great  Master  Mind  of  the 
universe  knows  that  which  is  best  and  as  surely 
would  give  us  only  that  which  is  best.  It  is  there- 
fore wisdom  on  our  part  to  obey  our  heavenly  Father, 
just  as  it  is  best  for  children  to  obey  theirs.  Will  we 
ever  get  so  civilized  that  God  can  not  teach  us  more? 
One  may  say,  "That  is  all  very  good,  but  I  do  not 
believe  God  spoke  through  Joseph  Smith."  But 
what  has  your  belief  or  disbelief  to  do  with  the  facts? 
Surely  he  could  have  found  no  better  man,  as  we 
have  shown.  Do  you  know  that  God  did  not  inspire 
him  to  reveal  his  will?  Why  not  investigate  Mr. 
Smith's  claims  honestly  and  in  a  proper  spirit? 

Some  may  wish  to  ask : 

Do  you  really  believe  Joseph  Smith  was  a  prophet 
of  God? 

We  answer,  "No,  and  yes." 

We  do  not  think  he  was  perfect. 

We  do  not  think  he  was  infallible. 

We  do  not  think  he  was  inspired  at  all  times. 

We  do  not  think  he  was  more  than  a  man. 

We  do  not  think  he  was  different  from  other 
prophets. 

We  do  not  think  any  of  the  prophets  of  old  were 


JOSEPH  SMITH  99 

perfect,  infallible,  continually  inspired,  or  more  than 
mortal. 

The  Bible  shows  that  ' 'prophecy  came  not  in  old 
time  by  the  will  of  man :  but  holy  men  of  God  spake 
as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  (2  Peter 
1  :  21.) 

Our  answer  therefore  depends  on  the  understand- 
ing of  the  one  asking  the  question.  If  he  has  too 
exalted  an  idea  of  what  it  takes  to  constitute  a 
prophet,  we  say  we  do  not  think  Joseph  Smith  was 
that  kind  of  a  man.  Allow  us  to  explain  what  a 
prophet  is  and  we  say,  "Yes,  we  believe  he  was  such 
a  man." 

Just  here  is  where  the  Latter  Day  Saints  have  been 
grossly  misunderstood  and  misrepresented.  When 
we  say  we  believe  Joseph  Smith  was  a  prophet  of 
God  our  enemies  have  forthwith  dipped  their  pen  in 
ink  and  given  their  erroneous  idea  of  a  prophet  and 
then  ridiculed  us  for  something  we  did  not  believe  at 
all.  As  we  said  at  first,  "It  is  not  only  necessary  to 
read  the  articles  of  faith,  but  also  to  know  how  the 
parties  themselves  interpret  them."  That  is  the  only 
way  justice  can  be  done. 

We  do  not  believe  any  prophet  to-day  has  a  right 
to  contradict  or  change  anything  God  has  said  in  any 
other  age  of  the  world.  He  is  therefore  under  metes 
and  bounds.  He  will  not  ask  people  to  follow  him, 
but  to  follow  God.  For  this  reason  the  Church 
holds  the  right  to  examine  every  communication 
which  a  prophet  claims  came  from  God  and  to  test  it 
by  the  Bible  before  they  could  accept  it.  This  has 
always  been  the  rule  among  Latter  Day  Saints. 
How  contemptible  then  the  story  that  Joseph  Smith 


100  JOSEPH  SMITH 

received  a  revelation  to  take  some  other  man's  wife! 
Imagine  such  a  revelation  passing  all  the  grades  of 
officers  of  the  Church,  and  then  the  membership  and 
being  accepted  by  all  of  them  as  of  God;  or  another 
story  that  Joseph  Smith  received  a  revelation  to  steal 
another's  corn  or  property.  Imagine  the  Church, 
composed  of  such  men  as  Mr.  Blain,  Mr.  Bancroft, 
and  Mrs.  Austin  describe  the  Latter  Day  Saints  to 
be,  trying  such  a  revelation  by  the  word  of  God 
which  says,  "Thou  shalt  not  steal"!  Such  stories 
are  simply  trash,  no  matter  where  they  appear.  It  is 
the  duty  of  Christian  prophets  to  point  the  people  to 
Christ  as  the  only  name  given  under  heaven  or 
known  among  men  whereby  man  must  be  saved.  An 
editorial  by  the  present  President  of  the  Reorganiza- 
tion, Joseph  Smith,  November  5,  1902,  states: 

ONLY  ONE  NAME. 

"Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other:  for  there  is  none 
other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men,  whereby  we  must 
be  saved.7'— Acts  4:  12. 

That  name  is  Jesus  Christ:  "Be  it  known  unto  you  all,  and  to 
all  the  people  of  Israel,  that  by  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Nazareth,  whom  ye  crucified,  wnom  God  raised  from  the  dead, 
even  by  him  doth  this  man  stand  here  before  you  whole."— 
Acts  4:  10. 

Corroborative  testimony:  "And  now  behold,  my  beloved 
brethren,  this  is  the  way;  and  there  is  none  other  way  nor  name 
given  under  heaven,  whereby  man  can  be  saved  in  the  kingdom 
of  God."— Book  of  Mormon,  2  Nephi  13:  6. 

This  name  is  Christ:  "Wherefore,  if  ye  shall  press  forward, 
feasting  upon  the  word  of  Christ,  and  endure  to  the  end,  behold, 
thus  saith  the  Father:  Ye  shall  have  eternal  life." — Book  of 
Mormon,  2  Nephi  13:  5. 

Further  testimony  to  the  Saints;  and  to  the  world,  a  savor  of 
life  unto  life,  or  of  death  unto  death : 


JOSEPH  SMITH  101 

"Take  upon  you  the  name  of  Christ,  and  speak  the  truth  in 
soberness,  and  as  many  as  repent,  and  are  baptized  in  my  name, 
which  is  Jesus  Christ,  and  endure  to  the  end,  the  same  shall  be 
saved.  Behold,  Jesus  Christ  is  the  name  which  is  given  of  the 
Father,  and  there  is  none  other  name  given  whereby  men  can  be 
saved."— Doctrine  and  Covenants  16:  4. 

This  is  a  threefold  cord  that  is  not  easily  broken. 

Instead  of  being  an  enviable  position  where  the 
prophet  could  rule  at  will  as  some  have  imagined 
who  do  not  understand  the  duties  of  a  prophet, 
instead  of  being  "entitled  to  all  obedience"  as  stated 
by  General  John  Easton  in  the  Christian  Herald 
when  writing  of  Joseph  Smith,  it  really  placed  him 
before  the  whole  Church  to  be  tested  and  tried  and 
criticised — perhaps  to  be  rejected  as  a  false  prophet. 
Who  will  say  that  was  an  enviable  position?  Know- 
ing there  were  hundreds  of  men  of  all  dispositions 
ready  to  criticise  the  words  which  he  claimed  were 
given  by  inspiration  it  seems  to  me  nothing  short  of 
the  power  of  God  could  induce  a  man  to  place  him- 
self in  such  a  position.  Let  us  consider  again,  when 
Joseph  Smith  put  that  privilege  in  the  hands  of  the 
Church  to  test  him,  does  it  look  like  he  was  trying  to 
deceive  them?  To  us  it  shows  on  the  very  face  of  it 
that  he  was  honest.  Knowing  that  God  had  inspired 
him  he  was  not  afraid  to  have  it  tested  by  others,  for 
God  was  able  to  care  for  his  own  word — he  could  as 
easily  inspire  the  testers  as  the  giver.  There  is  no 
danger  of  deception  in  such  a  plan. 

It  is  only  when  the  people  leave  God  that  there  is 
danger.  And  those  who  cling  so  tenaciously  to  the 
Bible  as  do  the  Latter  Day  Saints  are  not  apt  to  for- 
sake the  Lord  as  badly  as  those  whose  pastors  tell 


102  JOSEPH   SMITH 

them,  "These  things  have  all  ceased,  and  you  must 
not  listen  to  them." 

Latter  Day  Saints  have  from  the  first  and  do  yet 
refuse  to  follow  Joseph  Smith  or  any  man  further 
than  he  follows  Christ.  Those  who  know  the  Reor- 
ganization know  they  make  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  their  rule  of  faith  and  not  .the  mind  of  any' 
man.  But  the  Utah  Mormons,  who  place  their  leaders 
above,  the  law  and  think  all  their  words  are  words  of 
God,  are  at  sea  without  chart  or  compass. 

Let  the  reader  examine  the  revelations  of  God 
through  Joseph  Smith  to  the  Church  as  contained  in 
the  Book  of  Doctrine  and  Covenants3  and  answer  for 
himself  whether  he  thinks  he  was  inspired. 

While  speaking  of  Joseph  Smith  being  a  good  man 
and  one  who  was  not  an  impostor  or  trying  to  deceive 
the  people,  let  us  call  attention  to  one  of  the  closing 
scenes  of  his  life. 

When  he  was  arrested  the  last  time — on  a  false 
charge  as  every  one  knew  (for  his  enemies  boasted  if 
the  law  could  not  reach  him,  powder  and  lead  could), 
he  was  aware  his  end  had  come  though  he  had 
been  in  places  many  times  more  dangerous  and 
though  he  had  the  solemn  pledge  of  Governor  Ford, 
then  governor  of  Illinois,  to  protect  him  with  State 
troops  till  the  trial  was  over.  Yet  when  he  departed 
under  a  strong  guard  for  the  place  of  trial  he  knew 
that  the  governor  would  forsake  him,  break  his 
pledge,  withdraw  the  troops  and  leave  him  in  the 
enemy's  country  in  the  hands  of  a  furious  mob, 
among  whom  were  two  Protestant  ministers.  He 

s  These  books  are  for  sale  at  the  Herald  Publishing  House  at  Lamoni,  Iowa; 
sixty-five  cents  to  any  one. 


'       t 


JOSEPH  SMITH  103 


bade  his  family  good-bye,  mid  sobs  and  tears,  telling 
them  that  "he  was  going  like  a  lamb  to  the  slaugh- 
ter" and  that  he  would  not  see  their  faces  again  in 
the  flesh.  This  prophecy  was  literally  fulfilled.  He 
and  his  brother  were  killed  by  a  mob,  a  very  unlikely 
thing  with  such  promise  of  protection.  He  went  to 
the  slaughter  willingly.  He  was  not  a  coward,  he 
was  not  an  impostor,  neither  was  he  a  hypocrite. 
Hypocrites  and  impostors  do  not  do  that  kind  of 
work.  He  believed  what  he  taught  and  gave  his 
blood  to  seal  his  testimony  that  he  was  sent  of  God. 
Something  of  his  love  for  his  people  may  be  gathered 
from  his  parting  speech  to  them. 

Let  it  be  noted  carefully  and  then  an  honest 
answer  be  given  to  the  question,  "Could  a  man  who 
regarded  his  people  with  such  affection  ever  have 
tried  to  deceive  or  delude  them?" 

The  following  from  the  aLife  of  Elder  John 
Brush,"  in  the  Autumn  Leaves,  April,  1891,  page 
176,  gives  an  account  of  his  last  word  to  his  people  : 

Believing  the  demand  that  they  should  go  to  Carthage  illegal, 
but  deeming  it  best  that  they  should  comply  with  the  request  of 
the  Governor,  Joseph  knowing  what  would  be  the  result  of  hi^ 
so  doing,  had  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  called  together  near 
the  Mansion  House,  that  he  might  speak  to  them  before  he 
went.  When  they  had  assembled,  he  climbed  to  the  top  of  an 
unfinished  building  that  all  might  hear,  and  among  other  things 
said:  "Brethren,  before  you  would  see  me  taken  to  Carthage 
and  butchered,  would  you  be  willing  to  lay  down'  your  lives  for 
me?"  "Yes,"  answered  all  the  people  with  a  mighty  shout; 
but  the  sentence  which  followed  was  hardly  understood  by  them. 
"Brethren,"  said  Joseph,  "just  as  you  are  willing  to  lay  down 
your  lives  for  me,  so  am  I  willing  to  die  for  you." 

Shortly  afterward,  coming  near  to  where  Bro.  Brush  and 
others  were,  he  said:  "Farewell,  brethren,  and  farewell  to  the 


104  JOSEPH  SMITH 

city  I  have  loved.    I  am  going  like  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter." 

He  was  then  hurried  away  to  Carthage  and  by  another  illegal 
process  confined  with  Hyrum  and  others  in  jail,  where  he 
remained  nearly  two  days  before  his  death.  During  this  time 
he  sent  word  to  the  Saints  to  remain  peaceable  in  case  any  ill 
should  befall  him,  "For,"  said  he,  "they  must  have  blood,  and 
my  blood  will  satisfy  them.". 

On  the  evening  of  the  murder  Bro.  Brush  was  going  from  his 
home  down  into  the  city  when  he  came  to  a  group  of  men  who 
said,  "They  say  that  Joseph  and  Hyrum  are  killed,  but  we  can 
not  believe  it."  In  an  instant  the  warnings  of  the  tongue  and 
Joseph's  sayings  flashed  through  Bro.  Brush's  mind  and  he 
said,  "Joseph  and  Hyrum  will  never  have  another  time  to  die." 
Bursting  into  tears,  they  could  not  control  their  grief,  and  when 
the  news  was  verified  and  spread  through  the  city,  what  terrible 
mourning  filled  all  the  inhabitants  thereof! 

Not  with  outward  show  and  pompous  ceremonials  was  Joseph 
mourned,  but  by  honest  tears  of  grief,  and  the  heart-sobs  of 
thousands  of  people.  They  had  lost  their  leader  and  were  now 
like  sheep  without  a  shepherd,  but  more  than  this,  they  had  lost 
a  friend  and  brother,  for  not  one  true  Saint  was  there  in  all  that 
city  but  loved  Joseph  for  himself  as  well  as  honored  him  in  his 
position. 

On  the  next  day  the  murdered  bodies  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum, 
placed  in  coffins,  were  brought  to  Nauvoo  for  the  funeral  rites. 
Placed  in  the  Mansion  House,  opposite  to  each  other,  the 
inhabitants  of  the  city  were  permitted  to  pass  through  and  view 
them  for  the  last  time.  Not  a  dry  eye  did  Bro.  Brush  see  among 
all  that  vast  concourse  of  people,  some  ten  or  fifteen  thousand  of 
whom  passed  through  the  room.  When  his  turn  came,  Mother 
Smith  was  standing  between  the  two  coffins  with  a  hand  on  the 
head  of  each  of  her  sons  saying:  "My  sons!  oh,  my  sons!  thus 
have  you  died  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  1" 

Having  proven  Mr.  Smith's  character  good  and 
that  it  was  not  possible  for  him  to  have  been  a 
deceiver,  yet  there  are  many  no  doubt  who  are  will- 
ing to  say,  "Whatever  Joseph  Smith  may  have  been, 
the  Bible  shows  there  were  to  be  no  prophets  in  our 


JOSEPH   SMITH  105 

time."  To  this  we  reply  that  the  Bible  shows  just 
the  reverse.  It  shows  there  were  to  be  both  prophets 
and  apostles  until  we  all  come  to  the  unity  of  the 
faith. 

Let  us  consider  this  objection,  together  with  sev- 
eral others,  for  a  short  time.  We  believe  they  can  all 
be  legitimately  answered. 

OBJECTION  NUMBER   ONE. 

"Is  it  not  contrary  to  reason  to  expect  prophets  or 
revelation  now?" 

We  answer,  no;  positively,  no!   for, 

God  is  just  the  same  to-day  as  formerly. 

His  ear  is  not  dull. 

His  mouth  is  not  dumb. 

His  love  for  man  is  not  abated. 

He  loves  his  younger  children  as  much  as  the  older 
ones. 

He  is  no  respecter  of  persons. 

We  need  prophets  to  settle  disputed  questions.  We 
need  to  hear  from  God. 

We  need  his  Spirit  to  guide  us  in  the  religious  con- 
fusion of  to-day. 

His  Spirit  will  have  the  same  effect  on  man  to-day 
as  of  old. 

We  can  not  say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but  by  the 
Holy  Ghost — by  revelation. 

To  receive  the  testimony  of  Jesus  is  to  receive  the 
spirit  of  prophecy,  for  so  an  angel  has  declared. 
(Revelation  19:10.) 

If  we  do  not  have  this  testimony,  if  we  do  not  know 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  we  have  no  promise  of  eter- 
nal life,  for  Jesus  has  said,  "This  is  life  eternal,  that 


106  JOSEPH  SMITH 

they  might  know  thee  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus 
Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent." — Saint  John  17:  3. 

In  harmony  with  this  Paul  said,  "If  any  man  have 
not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his." — Romans 
8:9. 

Then  if  we  must  know  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  and 
if  we  can  not  know  it  except  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
which  is  the  Spirit  of  revelation,  then  in  what  light 
do  we  stand  if  we  reject  present  revelation? 

By  these  texts  it  will  be  seen  that  not  only  Joseph 
Smith,  but  every  man  and  woman  who  is  in  posses- 
sion of  the  Holy  Ghost,  could  receive  testimony- 
revelation  from  heaven — bearing  witness  to  their 
spirits  that  they -are  children  of  God.  That  would  be 
present  revelation  in  the  truest  sense  of  that  term. 

Any  one  of  the  above  statements  is  a  sufficient 
answer  to  the  objection  and  taken  altogether  they 
make  a  strong  case  that  we  have  yet  to  see  answered. 

OBJECTION  NUMBER  TWO. 

"It  is  out  of  harmony  with  the  Bible  'to  expect 
prophets  or  revelation  from  God  now." 

We  think  we  can  easily  prove  that  it  is  not  only  in 
harmony  with  the  Bible  to  expect  prophets  to-day  to 
reveal  the  will  of  God  when  he  desires  to  speak  to  the 
Church,  but  to  believe  otherwise  would  place  us  out 
of  harmony  with  the  Bible  and  out  of  favor  with  God. 
And  not  only  would  it  leave  us  utterly  destitute  of  a 
divinely  called  ministry  or  a  means  of  securing  one, 
but  it  would  also  deprive  us  of  the  knowledge  that  we 
are  the  children  of  God. 

In  further  proof  we  will  quote  Saint  John  16 : 13 : 
"Howbeit  when  he,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come,  he 


JOSEPH  SMITH  107 

will  guide  you  into  all  truth :  for  he  shall  not  speak 
of  himself;  but  whatsoever  he  shall  hear,  that  shall 
he  speak:  and  he  will  show  you  things  to  come." 
We  repeat  the  latter  clause,  "he  will  show  you  things 
to  come." 

Surely,  if  the  Spirit  was  to  show  things  to  come  it 
would  make  prophets  of  those  who  were  thus  blessed ! 
Not  that  they  could  prophesy  when  they  pleased  (no 
man  ever  did  that),  but  only  when  God  pleased;  that 
is,  only  when  God  revealed  to  them  things  to  come. 
Unless  those  who  urge  the  above  objection  can  prove 
that  the  Spirit  of  truth  was  never  given  after  the 
days  of  John  the  Baptist,  their  case  is  lost.  And  if 
professed  Christians  to-day  believe  that  the  Spirit  of 
truth  is  for  them  they  can  not  escape  the  conclusion, 
that  it  will  do  its  work  according  to  the  Savior's 
promise;  that  is,  "will  show  you  things  to  come." 

Again  we  have  in  Acts  21:9,  10  the  following: 
"And  the  same  man  had  four  daughters,  virgins, 
which  did  prophesy.  And  as  we  tarried  there  many 
days,  there  came  down  from  Judea  a  certain  prophet, 
named  Agabus." 

Nothing  could  be  more  plain  than  the  fact  shown 
in  this  text  that  there  were  prophets  in  the  church  of 
Jesus  Christ  long  after  the  death  of  John  the  Baptist. 
But  to  make  the  matter  doubly  plain  and  sure,  we 
will  refer  to  the  advice  of  an  early  Christian  prophet 
in  1  Corinthians  14:31:  "For  ye  may  all  prophesy 
one  by  one,  that  all  may  learn,  and  all  may  be  com- 
forted." 

It  would  seem  from  these  texts  that  prophets  really 
began  in  earnest  when  Christ  came,  or,  rather,  when 
the  Holy  Ghost  came.  If,  aa  Peter  said,  "Holy  men 


108  JOSEPH   SMITH 

spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,"  then 
why  may  not  men  who  receive  that  Holy  Ghost  in  the 
Christian  age,  even  though  that  age  reaches  to  our 
day,  be  moved  to  prophesy  as  well  as  those  of  old? 
Indeed,  we  read  in  Acts  19:6,  that  such  was  the 
case:  "And  when  Paul  had  laid  his  hands  upon 
them,  the  Holy  Ghost  came  on  them;  and  they  spake 
with  tongues,  and  prophesied." 

Surely  no  one,  after  taking  the  second  thought, 
will  still  insist  that  prophets  ended  with  John  the 
Baptist.  Such  thought  is  squarely  against  both  the 
Bible  and  history.  From  Eusebius'  Ecclesiastical  His- 
tory, book  5,  chapter  7,  page  175,  who  wrote  the  history 
of  the  early  Christian  church  from  the  birth  of  Christ 
until  his  time  about  A.  D.  324,  we  copy  the  follow- 
ing: "Others  have  the  knowledge  of  things  to  come, 
as  also  visions  and  prophetic  communications;  others 
heal  the  sick  by  the  imposition  of  hands,  and  restore 
them  to  health.  .  .  .  'As  we  hear  many  of  the  breth- 
ren in  the  Church  who  have  prophetic  gifts  and  who 
speak  in  all  tongues  through  the  Spirit,  and  who  also 
bring  to  light  the  secret  things  of  men  for  their  bene- 
fit, and  who  expound  the  mysteries  of  God.'  These 
gifts  of  different  kinds  also  continued  with  those  that 
were  worthy  until  the  times  mentioned." 

This  was  written  of  the  time  between  A.  D.  161  and 
180.  From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  there  were 
prophets  in  the  church  long  after  John  the  Baptist, 
long  after  the  ascension  of  Jesus,  and  long  after  the 
death  of  the  first  apostles.  In  fact  it  was  the  inten- 
tion of  God  that  they  should  be  in  the  church  until 
the  end  of  time  or  until  we  all  come  to  the  unity  of 
the  faith,  as  written  by  Paul  in  Ephesians  4 :  8, 11-13 : 


JOSEPH   SMITH  109 

"When  he  ascended  up  on  high,  .  .  .  he  gave  some, 
apostles;  and  some,  prophets;  and  some,  evangelists; 
and  some,  pastors  and  teachers;  for  the  perfecting 
of  the  saints  [saints  were  not  infallible  then],  for  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  .the  body  of 
Christ:  Till  we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  faith." 

OBJECTION   NUMBER  THREE. 

"We  have  the  word  of  God  and  therefore  we  do 
not  need  prophets  now." 

Oh!  no;  that  is  a  wrong  conclusion  as  well  as  a 
mistaken  statement;  besides,  that  would  make  God 
changeable.  We  have  in  the  Bible  only  a  history  of 
the  word  of  God,  not  the  word  itself.  What  we  need 
now  is  the  word  of  God  direct  to  us.  This  we  could 
not  have  if  there  were  no  prophets  or  revelatipns 
now.  Because  some  one  has  written  what  God  has 
said  in  the  past,  even  though  they  wrote  by  inspira- 
tion, it  does  not  necessarily  follow  that  we  were  to 
hear  no  more  from  him.  If  so,  it  robs  God  of  his 
attribute  of  love,  makes  him  changeable  and  forbids 
the  full  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  To  say  that  we 
do  not  need  prophets  now  is  purely  an  assertion 
without  divine  sanction.  The  truth  of  the  matter  is, 
though  we  have  the  New  Testament,  we  are  worse 
off  in  some  things  than  the  primitive  Christians;  for 
we  do  not  agree  as  to  its  meaning.  In  case  of  dis- 
agreement why  may  not  men  sincerely  and  earnestly 
petition  our  heavenly  Father  for  instruction  and 
receive  it?  Why  may  not  God  further  explain  what 
has  been  wrongly  translated  or  imperfectly  tran- 
scribed in  the  early  centuries,  or  restore  what  may 
have  been  taken  out  by  men?  Many  in  the  world 


110  JOSEPH  SMITH 

to-day,  though  wanting  to  be  Christians,  are  puzzled 
to  know  which  one  of  all  the  churches  is  right  in  its 
interpretation  of  the  plan  of  salvation.  Why  may 
not  God  direct  such  men — why  may  he  not  speak  to 
them?  Where  is  the  man  who  would  put  forth  his 
hand  and  cover  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  and  forbid  him 
answering  literally  the  consistent  prayer  of  the  ear- 
nest searcher  after  truth?  If  there  ever  was  a  time 
when  we  needed  prophets  it  is  now  when  the  world 
has  been  thrown  into  such  a  religious  conglomeration 
as  it  has  not  seen  from  its  creation.  God  may  have 
permitted  men  to  get  into  such  confusion  to  show  the 
world  what  man  will  do  when  he  seeks  to  run  the 
church  without  God's  directing  care.  It  is  a  great 
lesson  to  onlookers  if  the  others  can  not  see  their 
folly.  So  the  statement  that  we  need  no  more 
prophets  because  we  have  the  Bible  is  erroneous  and 
unreasonable  on  the  grounds  that  there  is  confusion 
among  those  making  the  claim.  Positively  no  two 
churches  can  differ  and  both  be  right. 

OBJECTION  NUMBER  FOUR. 

"The  Bible  contains  all  that  God  ever  intended  to 
give  for  man's  instruction." 

Those  who  urge  this  objection  are  not  of  that  class 
who  are  best  acquainted  with  what  is  in  the  book, 
itself,  for  in  the  twenty-ninth  chapter  of  Isaiah  is 
mention  of  a  book  which  was  to  come  out  of  the 
ground  in  the  last  days.  In  the  thirty -seventh  chap- 
ter of  Ezekiel  is  mention  of  the  stick  of  Ephraim  as 
well  as  the  stick  of  Judah  (the  Bible).  In  the  last  of 
Daniel  is  mention  of  a  book  to  be  revealed  at  the 
"time  of  the  end."  Besides  these  references  to  what 


JOSEPH  SMITH  111 

will  be,  there  are  twenty-four  or  more  books  men- 
tioned in  the  Bible  which  have  been  but  which  are 
not  now  in  the  Bible,  (See  Numbers  24:14;  1 
Samuel  10:25;  Joshua  10:13;  1  Kings  4:32,  33; 
1  Kings  11:41;  1  Chronicles  29:29;  2  Chronicles 
9:29;  2  Chronicles  12:15;  2  Chronicles  20:34;  2 
Chronicles  26:22;  2  Chronicles  33:19;  Jeremiah 
30:32;  Jeremiah  51:60,  61;  Daniel  12:4;  1  Corin- 
thians 5:  9;  Colossians  4: 16;  Jude  3.) 

A  careful  reading  of  these  texts  will  show  the 
above  objection  is  not  well  founded.  Besides,  there 
are  in  the  Bible  the  names  of  many  prophets  and 
prophetesses,  yet  not  one  of  their  prophecies.  Saul, 
the  first  king  of  Israel,  together  with  a  great  com- 
pany, came  to  a  certain  place  and  "the  Spirit  of  God 
came  upon  him,  and  he  prophesied  among  them." 
(See  1  Samuel  10:10.)  Can  any  one  point  in  the 
Bible  to  what  he  prophesied?  Even  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament there  are  names  of  prophets  and  also  proph- 
etesses, but  we  know  nothing  of  their  words.  So  it 
is  a  greater  blunder  to  say  that  the  Bible  contains  all 
that  God  ever  spoke  through  his  prophets,  or  inspired 
others  to  write. 

OBJECTION  NUMBER  FIVE. 

"God  pronounces  a  curse  upon  any  one  who  will 
add  anything  after  the  last  chapter  of  Revelation." 

Proof,  please? 

In  reply  to  our  inquiry  for  proof  the  objector  will 
say,  "It  so  states  in  the  last  chapter  of  Revelation." 

We  answer,  It  does  not.  Here  is  a  square  contra- 
diction; how  are  we  to  settle  the  matter?  By  refer- 
ring to  the  verse  itself.  Here  it  is :  "For  I  testify  unto 


J155  JOSEPH   SMITH 

every  man  that  heareth  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of 
this  book,  If  any  man  shall  add  unto  these  things, 
God  shall  add  unto  him  the  plagues  that  are  written 
in  this  book."— Revelation  22: 18. 

The  book  here  spoken  of  is  the  book  of  Revelation, 
for  the  New  Testament  was  not  then  compiled  and 
some  of  it  was  net  then  written.  The  book  of  Reve- 
lation was  not  then  written.  John  himself  wrote  first, 
second,  and  third  John,  also  Saint  John,  after  he 
wrote  the  book  of  Revelation.  Nothing  was  to  be 
added  to  it.  But  nothing  is  said  about  God  speaking 
after  that.  The  whole  matter  hinges  on  the  word 
man.  Man  is  forbidden  to  add,  but  God  may  add 
when  he  pleases.  Here  is  one  reason  why  the 
Church  proposes  to  test  the  words  of  Joseph  Smith 
to  see  whether  they  were  of  God  or  of  himself.  God 
has  the  right  to  speak  through  whomsoever  and 
whenever  he  chooses.  This  text  does  not  forbid  it. 

OBJECTION  NUMBER   SIX. 

"The  Bible  says  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit  were  to  be 
done  away  and  a  more  excellent  way  was  to  be 
established." 

If  our  objector  had  quoted  the  three  previous 
verses  he  need,  not  to  have  made  such  a  mistake, 
for  it  is  a  mistake.  To  meet  the  issue  fairly  we 
insert  them  here : 

And  God  has  set  some  in  the  church,  first  apostles,  secondarily 
prophets,  thirdly  teachers,  after  that  miracles,  then  gifts  of 
healings,  helps,  governments,  diversities  of  tongues.  Are  all 
apostles?  are  all  prophets?  are  all  teachers?  are  all  workers 
of  miracles?  Have  all  the  gifts  of  healing?  do  all  speak  with 
tongues?  do  all  interpret?  But  covet  earnestly  the  best  gifts: 
and  yet  show  I  unto  you  a  more  excellent  way. — 1  Corinthians 
12:  2&-31. 


JOSEPH  SMITH  113 

To  make  the  matter  more  plain,  suppose  every  one 
in  the  Church,  "all"  spoke  with  tongues  and  no  one 
interpreted,  how  could  they  be  edified?  and  if  so 
where  would  be  the  teachers  and  other  officers?  If 
they  were  "all"  prophets  where  would  be  the  apos- 
tles? Paul  wished  here  to  repeat  what  he  had  been 
telling  them,  "all  these  worketh  that  one  .  .  .  spirit, 
dividing  to  every  man  severally  as  he  will."  (See 
verse  11.)  He  wanted  them  to  see  that  it  was  better 
to  have  a  variety  than  to  have  all  of  one  kind,  or  for 
all  to  receive  but  one  gift.  That  is  plainly  what  he 
meant  by  "a  more  excellent  way."  We  are  certain 
that  that  was  his  idea,  for  he  continues  to  perpetuate 
the  possibility  of  the  gifts  of  prophecy  and  tongues 
in  the  subsequent  chapters  as  follows : 

Follow  after  charity,  and  desire  spiritual  gifts,  but  rather 
that  ye  may  prophesy.  I  would  that  ye  ajl  spake  with  tongues, 
but  rather  that  ye  prophesied.  "Wherefore,  brethren,  covet  to 
prophesy,  and  forbid  not  to  speak  with  tongues. — 1  Corin- 
thians 14:  1,  5,  39. 

In  the  last  verse  we  have  the  same  word  "covet" 
as  in  the  twelfth  chapter.  In  one  place  he  says 
"covet  the  best  gifts,"  in  the  other,  "covet  to 
prophesy."  This  shows  that  Paul  regarded  prophecy 
as  one  of  the  best  gifts  and  looked  upon  it  as  one 
that  was  not  to  pass  away  until  that  which  was  per- 
fect had  come. 

While  it  was  possible  for  all  of  them  to  prophesy, 
yet  the  better  way — "more  excellent  way" — was  to 
have  a  variety. 

Who  will  dare  say  that  the  Holy  Ghost  will  not 
impart  to  man  to-day  the  same  gifts  (prophecy 


114  JOSEPH  SMITH 

among  the  others)  as  then?    Has  God  changed,  or 
rather  has  the  Holy  Ghost  changed? 

The  following  article,  though  quite  lengthy, 
answers  so  completely  the  sophistry  of  our  oppo- 
nents on  this  point,  that  we  can  not  do  better  than 
insert  it  here.  It  will  bear  rereading: 

THE  MORE  EXCELLENT  WAY. 

The  present  age  is  noted  for  daring  steps  towards  universal 
unbelief.  Not  only  are  these  taken  by  the  professed  unbe- 
lievers, but  the  more  covert  and  dangerous  ones  by  those  who 
profess  belief.  Any  departure  from  primitive  Christianity, 
either  in  organization,  doctrines,  or  blessings,  should  be 
regarded  as  a  step  towards  point  blank  unbelief.  If  we  dis- 
card a  part  of  what  God  placed  in  the  church,  we  certainly  are 
preparing  our  minds  and  the  minds  of  those  who  follow'  in  our 
footsteps,  to  discard  the  whole.  One  step  taken,  it  is  easy  and 
natural  to  take  another  in  the  same  direction;  and  the  result  is 
the  completion  of  the  journey  toward  the  dark  and  cheerless 
land  of  atheism. 

No  more  daring  step  in  this  direction  has  ever  been  taken 
than  that  taken  when  it  is  said  that  there  is  a  more  excellent 
way  than  the  exercise  of  the  best  gifts  God  ever  placed  in  his 
church.  This  position  says  in  fact,  that  though  the  Holy  Ghost 
is  one  of  the  highest,  holiest,  and  most  powerful  agents  that  has 
ever  blessed  the  souls  of  men,  yet  the  state  of  the  church  when 
it  directly  communicated  with  it  was  low  and  barren,  as  com- 
pared with  that  more  excellent  state  when  this  holy  agent  ceased 
to  act  directly  upon  the  souls  of  men;  and  when  if  it  acts  at  all, 
it  is  so  indirectly  that  it  scarcely  affects  the  recipient  at  all.  It 
says  that  while  the  full  blaze  of  sunlight  is  poured  upon  the 
world,  it  is  dark  and  almost  lifeless;  but  when  that  sun  becomes 
obscured  that  it  can  not  be  seen,  and 'the  effects  of  its  rays  indi- 
rectly reaching  the  world  are  so  feeble  that  they  can  scarcely  be 
noted,  then  the  world  is  in  its  palmy  days,  teeming  with  the 
varied  forms  of  animal  and  vegetable  life. 

The  theory  referred  to  is  based  upon  the  thirty-first  verse  oi 
the  twelfth  chapter  of  first  Corinthians,  which  reads:  "Covet 


JOSEPH   SMITH  115 

earnestly  the  best  gifts :  and  yet  show  I  unto  you  a  more  excel- 
lent way." 

The  apostle  is  here  pointing  out  without  question  a  way  more 
excellent  than  some  other  way.  The  force  of  the  declaration  we 
do  not  seek  to  avoid.  But  what  we  object  to  is  the  substitution 
of  the  word  "state"  or  "things"  for  the  word  "way,"  making 
the  apostle  say,  "I  show  unto  you  a  more  excellent"  state  of  the 
church,  or  "I  show  unto  you  more  excellent"  things,  than  the 
spiritual  gifts.  The  theory  is  obliged  to  substitute  one  word  fox 
another,  violating  every  known  rule  of  just  and  honorable  war- 
fare, before  it  can  make  headway  at  all;  for  the  apostle  is  mani- 
festly referring  to  the  "way,"  that  is,  manner  or  style  of  doing 
something,  not  to  a  condition  or  state.  The  apostle  just  preced- 
ing the  language  spoken,  had  written,  "Are  all  apostles?  are  all 
prophets?  do  all  speak  with  tongues?  do  all  interpret?"  Then 
without  answering  these  questions  says,  "Covet  earnestly  the 
best  gifts;  and  yet  show  I  unto  you  a  more  excellent  way." 
That  is,  "yet,"  notwithstanding,  all  do  not  speak  with  tongues, 
all  do  not  prophesy,  etc.,  I  show,  I  do  now  show  unto  you  a  more 
excellent  way,  which  is  the  exercise  by  each  one  of  his  own 
proper  gift.  The  apostle  does  not  say  I  will  show  unto  you  s 
more  excellent  way,  but  I  show,  I  do  now  show  unto  you  a  more 
excellent  way,  which  more  excellent  way  is  more  clearly  pointed 
out  in  the  twelfth  chapter  of  first  Corinthians. 

To  the  position  that  the  apostle  means  a  more  excellent  way 
than  the  exercise  of  the  best  spiritual  gifts,  we  oppose  the  fol- 
lowing objections:  There  can  b&  nothing  better  than  the  best; 
to  say  that  by  descending  from  the  best  to  a  "better  way,"  we 
improve  our  condition,  is  only  to  do  violence  to  the  plain  mean- 
ing of  simple  words.  In  the  realm  of  spiritual  power  and  moral 
influence,  nothing  better,  nobler,  or  more  efficacious  has  ever 
been  brought  to  bear  upon  the  souls  of  men  than  the  Holy 
Ghost;  there  can  then  be  nothing  better  than  its  gifts. 

Paul  compares  the  church  with  all  the  gifts  which  God  had  set 
in  it  to  a  perfecty  organized  body,  capable  of  the  highest  and 
most  complete  spiritual  development;  therefore,  inasmuch  as 
taking  away  from  that  which  is  perfect  always  renders  it  imper- 
fect, taking  away  from  the  church  any  of  the  gifts  which  God 
placed  in  it,  instead  of  changing  it  from  imperfection  to  per- 


116  JOSEPH  SMITH 

lection,  would  change  it  from  perfection  to  imperfection. 
Three  of  the  gifts  included  in  the  language,  "Covet  earnestly 
the  best  gifts,7'  are  faith,  wisdom,  and  knowledge.  "Without 
faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  [God]."  "The  fear  of  the  Lord 
is  the  beginning  of  wisdom."  "To  know  thee  the  only  true 
God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou  hast  sent,"  is  "life  eternal." 
Then  to  banish  these  three  gifts  from  the  church  is  to  cut  off 
the  hope  of  salvation,  which,  though  it  may  be  in  the  estimation 
of  unbelievers  a  more  excellent  way,  in  the  estimation  of  all  true 
believers  is  a  less  excellent  way.  It  will  not  do  here  to  interpo- 
late the  word  "miraculous,"  and  make  the  apostle  say,  miracu- 
lous faith,  miraculous  wisdom,  miraculous  knowledge;  for  this 
is  a  bold  attempt  at  perversion.  The  apostle  says  no  such  thing; 
and  whoever  attempts  to  put  such  language  into  his  mouth, 
boldly  attempts  to  pervert  the  word  of  God.  If  it  is  said  that 
this  is  what  the  apostle  means,  and  therefore  we  have  the  right 
to  supply  the  word  miraculous,  we  answer  it  is  not  what  he 
means,  for  it  is  not  what  he  says.  Moreover,  the  working  of 
miracles  is  a  separate  gift  mentioned  separately  by  the  apostle; 
showing  that  he  did  not  mean  to  be  understood  that  the  faith, 
knowledge,  and  wisdom  he  spoke  of  were  to  be  regarded  as 
miraculous,  any  more  than  all  of  God's  manifestations  and 
blessings  to  the  world  are  miraculous,  that  is  wonderful,  to  those 
who  do  not  believe. 

Unless  a  dead  man  is  more  perfect  than  a  live  one,  the  church 
is  not  more  perfect  without  these  inspirational  gifts  than  it  was 
with  them.  As  noted  already,  the  apostle  compares  the  church 
as  organized  with  inspired  officers  and  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  to 
a  perfectly  organized  body.  Therefore,  inasmuch  as  the  taking 
away  of  the  members  of  a  body,  disorganizes  and  kills  it,  so  the 
taking  away  of  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit  and  the  inspired  officers  of 
the  church  would  kill  the  church;  therefore  the  lifeless  trunk, 
moldering  to  dust,  is  not  to  the  believer  a  more  excellent  body, 
than  that  with  all  its  limbs  and  joints  acting  as  the  all-wise 
organizer,  God,  intended  they  should  act,  presenting  a  body 
capable  of  the  highest  and  best  attainments.  In  this  connection 
we  quote  the  vigorous  language  of  William  Howitt  in  his  "His- 
tory of  the  Supernatural,"  volume  1,  page  230:  "How  is  it  that 
those  who  contend  for  the  cessation  of  miracles,  do  not  see  the 


JOSEPH  SMITH  117 

argument  and  feel  the  logic  of  Saint  Paul?  If  his  illustration  be 
worth  anything,  then  a  church  which  has  not  for  its  members, 
persons  possessed  of  all  these  varied  gifts,  is  no  more  a  church 
of  Christ  than  a  body  is  a  human  body  without  its  members.  A 
Christian,  living  church,  must,  have  members  qualified  and 
endowed  from  the  Spirit,  with  all  these  gifts,  or  it  is  destitute  of 
its  members.  They  are  no  more  living,  real  members,  than  a 
wooden  leg,  or  an  artificial  hand,  or  a  glass  eye  is  a  real  mem- 
ber of  the  human  body.  A  church  must  have  its  spiritual  mem- 
bers, living  and  complete,  or  it  is  no  body  of  Christ.  It  may  call 
itself  what  it  will,  but  that  will  not  make  it  any  more  a  church." 

John  Wesley,  in  his  notes  on  the  New  Testament,  when  treat- 
ing of  the  twelfth,  thirteenth,  and  fourteenth  chapters  of  first 
Corinthians,  says:  "He  describes  first  the  unity  of  the  body, 
verses  1-27;  second,  the  variety  of  members  and  officers,  verses 
27-30;  third,  the  way  of  exercising  gifts  rightly;  namely,  by 
love,  verse  -31,  and  chapter  13  throughout;  and  adds  fourth,  a 
comparison  of  oeveral  of  the  gifts  with  each  other,  fourteenth 
chapter." 

It  will  be  noticed  that  Mr.  Wesley  held  Jhat  the  thirty-first 
verse  of  the  twelfth  chapter  referred  to  a  way  of  exercising  the 
gifts,  not  to  a  way  of  conducting  the  affairs  of  the  church  with- 
out them. 

In  the  Quarterly  Review  of  April,  1884,  we  find  an  article 
from  the  pen  of  J.  H.  Garrison,  in  which  occurs  the  following  in 
regard  to  the  illustration  used  by  Saint  Paul  in  the  twelfth 
chapter  of  first  Corinthians:  "The  whole  tenor  of  the  chapter 
in  which  the  illustration  occurs  is  to  show  the  unity  of  aim  in  all 
the  diverse  operations  of  the  same  Spirit.  Just  as  the  members 
of  the  human  body,  animated  and  controlled  by  the  human 
spirit,  make  one  body,  so  the  various  members  of  Christ's  body, 
animated  and  controlled  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  one  spiritual 
body." 

If  the  apostle  meant  that  he  would  after  the  writing  of  the 
thirty-first  verse  of  the  twelfth  chapter,  point  out  a  more  excel- 
lent way,  he  never  fulfilled  his  promise.  He  never  did  after- 
wards point  out  a  more  excellent  way.  It  is  argued  that  he 
fulfilled  his  promise  in  the  thirteenth  chapter;  but  upon  exami- 
nation it  is  seen,  that  while  he  points  out  a  more  excellent  state 


118  JOSEPH   SMITH 

of  the  believers  than  the  one  they  occupy  in  this  life,  he  nowhere 
points  out  a  more  excellent  way,  style,  method  of  exercising  or 
doing  anything.  He  says:  "Charity  never  faileth;  but  whether 
there  be  prophecies,  they  shall  fail;  whether  there  be  tongues, 
they  shall  cease;  whether  there  be  knowledge,  it  shall  vanish 
away," — 1  Corinthians  13:  8. 

From  this  it  is  clear  that  the  passage  to  the  more  excellent 
state  referred  to,  involves  as  well  the  vanishing  away  of  knowl- 
edge, as  the  cessation  of  tongues,  and  prophecies;  and  unless  it 
be  claimed,  either  that  the  church  knows  nothing,  or  knows  all 
things,  then  it  can  not  be  maintained  that  it  is  in  that  more  per- 
fect state;  for  the  vanishing  away  of  knowledge  can  only  mean 
one  of  two  things:  the  cessation  of  knowledge  altogether,  or  the 
reception  of  such  complete  knowledge  that  an  incomplete  or 
partial  knowledge  is  swallowed  up  therein,  It  will  be  difficult 
for  any  church  to  maintain  the  position  that  it  possesses  a  full- 
ness of  knowledge;  and  it  will  be  equally  as  difficult  to  prevail 
upon  any  church  to  acknowledge  that  it  is  without  knowledge 
altogether;  so  no  church  can  maintain  the  position  that  it  is  in 
the  more  perfect  state. 

That  the  apostle  referred  to  states  of  believers  here  and  here- 
after, is  evident  from  the  fact  that  he  states  that  he  occupied  the 
imperfect  state  when  writing,  and  should  occupy  the  perfect 
state  in  the  future. 

"For  now  we  see  through  a  glass,  darkly;  but  then  face  to 
face:  now  I  know  in  part;  but  then  shall  I  know  even  as  also  I 
am  known." — 1  Corinthians  13:  12. 

Paul  could  not  have  inherited  the  two  states  of  the  church  sup- 
posed by  the  theory  in  question;  for  he  being  an  inspired  apos- 
tle, and  having  direct  communion  with  God,  angels,  and  Jesus 
Christ,  his  very  presence  would  obstruct  the  wheels  of  progress, 
and  prevent  the  ushering  in  of  that  glorious  day  when  direct 
communion  with  God  should  cease,  and  the  perfect  church  should 
appear.  The  apostle  clearly  shows  that  he  refers  to  a  time  when 
partial  and  imperfect  things  shall  be  exchanged  for  those  which 
are  full  and  perfect.  A  variety  of  imperfect  languages  will  be 
exchanged  for  a  pure  and  perfect  language.  Prophecy,  fore- 
telling future  events,  will  no  longer  be  needed,  because  the 
future  as  well  as  past  will  be  before  the  all-comprehensive 


JOSEPH   SMITH  119 

vision  of  the  glorified  saints.  The  partial  knowledge  which  we 
now  possess  shall  be  swallowed  up  in  the  fullness  of  knowledge 
which  we  shall  then  receive.  As  the  partial  light  which  the 
stars  and  moon  provide  for  us  at  night  is  swallowed  up  and  van- 
ishes away  before  the  full  light  of  the  morning  sun ;  so  the  partial 
things  enjoyed  by  the  saints  in  their  imperfect  state  of  mortality, 
will  be  swallowed  up  and  vanish  away  in  their  perfect  state  of 
immortality. 

"Now  we  see  through  a. glass,  darkly;  but  then  face  to  face." 
If  the  apostle's  language  was  a  prophecy  that  the  church 
when  the  spiritual  gifts  ceased  should  enjoy  a  more  excellent 
state,  we  demand  to  know  when  that  prophecy  was  fulfilled.  The 
theory  in  question  proceeds  upon  the  supposition  that  the  pass- 
ing away  of  that  which  is  imperfect  is  caused  by  the  coming  of 
that  which  is  perfect;  hence,  we  should  look  for  perfection  just 
in  proportion  as  apostolic  inspiration  and  primitive  gifts  passed 
away.  Just  in  proportion  as  direct  communion  with  God 
ceased,  in  just  such  proportion  according  to  this  theory  we 
should  look  for  the  perfect  state  of  the  church  to  be  inaugu- 
rated. A  shift,  however,  is  here  made,  and  we  are  told  that  it  i3 
not  the  church  that  is  to  be  perfect,  but  ttie  law  of  the  gospel. 
This  assumption,  however,  fails  to  remedy  the  defect  complained 
of;  for  the  apostle  places  the  coming  "of  that  which  is  perfect," 
and  the  seeing  "face  to  face,"  as  cotemporaneous  events,  the 
latter  being  the  inevitable  result  of  the  former.  So  the  coming 
of  that  which  is  perfect  spoken  of  by  the  apostles,  will  be 
attended  by  that  condition  of  the  saints  in  which  they  no  longer 
see  through  a  glass  darkly,  but  "face  to  face."  Three  things 
are  inseparably  connected  by  the  apostle:  the  passing  away  of 
imperfection,  the  coming  of  perfection,  and  the  seeing  "face  to 
face."  This  seeing  face  to  face  is  manifestly  a  perfect  seeing, 
as  is  shown  by  the  imperfect  seeing  being  compared  to  seeing 
"through  a  glass  darkly."  If  the  facts  of  history  show,  that 
instead  of  light  and  unity  increasing  in  the  church  as  the  spir- 
itual gifts  were  withdrawn,  darkness  and  disunity  increased, 
accompanied  with  all  kinds  of  blasphemous  heresies,  the  theory 
in  question  fails.  What  are  the  facts  of  history  in  this  regard? 
Doctor  Conyers  Middleton  says  on  page  530  of  Healing  of  the 
Nations:  "After  the  year  220,  from  thence  to  250,  the  extraor- 


120  JOSEPH  SMITH 

dinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit  did  decrease  and  grow  less  in  com- 
parison of  the  time  preceding.  And  at  the  latter  end  of  that 
period,  Origen  acquaints  us,  that  though  in  his  age  the  gift  of 
prophesying  still  remained,  yet  it  was  decreased,  and  not  in  the 
same  measure  as  in  the  foregoing  age." 

In  Woddington's  Church  History,  volume  1,  page  209,  we  find 
the  following:  "But  it  was  an  error  to  confound  the  three 
earliest  with  the  three  following  centuries;  as  if  the  same  had 
been  the  government,  spirit,  and  discipline  of  the  church  from 
the  age  of  St.  Clement  to  St.  Gregory.  We  find  the  first  of 
these  periods  was  somewhat  removed  from  apostolical  perfec- 
tion; but  in  the  second  the  distance  is  incalculably  multiplied, 
and  that,  not  only  according  to  the  customary  progress  of 
unreformed  abuses,  but  also  through  changing  the  principles 
in  the  administration  of  the  church,  which  preceded  every  other 
cause." 

Fleetwood's  Life  of  Christ,  page  668,  con  tains -the  following: 
"Constantine,  though  not  yet  baptized,  called  himself  'the 
external  bishop  of  the  church,'  (without  any  protest  from  the 
Catholic  bishops,  not  even  the  bishop  of  Rome,)  and  changed  its 
whole  constitution  to  conform  it  to  the  new  constitution  of  the 
state.  This  baleful  union  of  the  Catholic  Church  with  the  state, 
is  the  true  origin  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church;  but  its  apos- 
tolical and  holy  character,  as  the  church  of  Christ,  perished. 
The  glory  was  departed." 

Of  commentators'  views  we  have  only  room  to  offer  a  few 
extracts.  First,  Newton:  "The  empire  was  idolatrous  under 
the  heathen  emperors,  and  then  ceased  to  be  so  under  the  Chris- 
tian emperors,  and  then  became  so  again  under  the  Roman  pon- 
tiffs, and  hath  so  continued  ever  since." — Cause  and  Cure  of 
Infidelity,  p.  144. 

John  Fleetwood,  speaking  of  the  fore  part  of  the  second  cen- 
tury, says:  "The  Christian  world  of  this  period,  was  fast  for- 
getting those  apostolic  cautions,  and  drifting  away  into  a 
darkness  that  might  be  felt."— Life  of  Christ,  p.  636. 

James  Challin:  "Surely  there  is  something  in  Christianity 
higher  and  deeper  than  the  exhibition  of  it  now  known.  The 
results  as  they  appear  to  our  eyes  can  not  be  what  its  author 
designed  only  to  reach." — Elements  of  the  Gospel,  p.  67. 


JOSEPH   SMITH  121 

Barton  W.  Stone:  "Sectarianism,  which  is  only  another  name 
for  heresy,  sprung  out  of  the  apostasy,  and  the  parties  named 
^  themselves  according  to  their  own  fancy." 

Alexander  Campbell:  "The  Lord  Jesus  will  judge  that  adul- 
terous brood,  and  give  them  over  to  the  burning  flame,  who  have 
transgressed  the  laws,  changed  the  ordinance,  and  broken  the 
everlasting  covenant,  and  formed  alliances  with  the  governments 
of  the  earth.  The  meaning  of  this  institution,  or  covenant,  has 
been  buried  under  the  rubbish  of  human  tradition  for  hundreds 
of  years;  it  was  lost  in  the  dark  ages,  and  has  never  been  until 
recently  disinterred,  and,  since  the  grand  apostasy  was  com- 
pleted, to  the  present  generation,  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  has 
not  been  laid  open  to  mankind  in  its  original  plainness  and  sim- 
plicity. A  veil  in  reading  the  new  covenant  has  been  upon  the 
hearts  of  Christians,  as  the  apostle  declared  it  was  upon  the 
hearts  of  the  Jews  in  reading  the  old  covenant  at  the  close  of 
that  economy."— Christian  System,  p.  189. 

A  "grand  apostasy  completed, "and  a  veil  over  the  eyes  of  the 
people  in  reading  the  terms  of  the  new  covenant,  do  not  bear 
much  resemblance  to  seeing  "face  to  face." 

If  it  is  claimed  that  Paul's  prophecy  has  been  fulfilled  in  the 
work  of  the  Reformers,  we  say  first,  that  the  Reformation  came 
too  late  for  such  fulfillment;  for  as  shown  before,  the  passing 
away  of  that  which  is  imperfect,  which  this  theory  supposes  to 
be  the  state  of  the  church  when  it  enjoyed  direct  communion 
with  God,  was  to  be  immediately  followed  by  the  coming  of  that 
which  is  perfect.  No  lapse  of  hundreds  of  years  between  the 
two  events  was  contemplated.  TJiis  is  a  sufficient  answer  to  this 
assumption.  But,  if  the  position  is  still  adhered  to,  we  ask 
which  one  of  the  Reformers  fulfilled  the  prophecy  of  the  apos- 
tle? Which  one  of  them  established  a  church,  which  is  either 
possessed  of  all  knowledge  or  of  no  knowledge  at  all?  Almost 
all  of  the  Reformers,  except  Alexander  Campbell,  believed  in 
the  miraculous  manifestation  of  God's  power,  and  deplored  the 
loss  by  the  church  of  the  spiritual  gifts.  If  Alexander  Camp- 
bell's work  was  a  realization  of  the  fulfillment  of  Paul's  sup- 
posed prophecy  that  the  church  should  enter  a  more  excellent 
state  when  deprived  of  the  spiritual  gifts,  a  double  interest 
should  center  upon  the  facts  connected  with  the  present  state  of 


122  JOSEPH  SMITH 

that  work.  In  an  article  headed,  "Can  we  divide,"  written  by 
J.  H.  Garrison,  a  representative  man  of  the  Disciples,  or  Chris- 
tians, published  in  the  Quarterly  Review  for  April,  1884,  a  rep- 
resentative paper  of  that  movement,  the  following  interesting 
language  is  used: 

"The  time  has  come,  however,  in  our  own  history,  when  the 
principles  we  have  been  so  zealously-  urging  upon  others,  must 
submit  to  the  supreme  test  of  self-application.  If  they  do  not 
stand  this  test — if  they  fail  to  prevent  division  in  the  ranks  of 
their  own  advocates  under  circumstances  similar  to  those  which 
have  caused  division  among  others — they  will  stand  convicted  of 
impracticability,  if  nothing  worse,  at  the  bar  of  public  senti- 
ment. A  ship  may  cross  the  Atlantic  in  fair  weather  and  on  a 
smooth  sea,  and  yet  be  fatally  defective  in  some  essential  point 
of  seaworthiness.  But  when  the  faithful  vessel  has  plowed  its 
way  through  mountain  billows  whipped  into  fury  by  the  dark 
wing  of  the  tempest,  and  engines,  pumps,  propeller,  rudder, 
hull,  masts,  rigging,  compass — all  have  stood  the  test  of  the 
storm-king's  fury,  and  have  landed  the  precious  cargo  safely  at 
the  desired  haven,  then,  and  not  till  then,  does  it  command  the 
full  confidence  of  sailors  and  ocean  voyagers. 

"It  can  not  be  denied  that  we  are  now  on  trial  before  the 
world,  and  before  God,  on  this  fundamental  feature  of  our 
religious  movement.  Our  failure  at  this  point  would  be  a  griev- 
ous blow  to  the  growing  sentiment  in  favor  of  Christian  unity 
throughout  the  religious  world.  Nay  more;  it  would  send  back 
into  cheerless  infidelity  many  who  have  been  groping  their  way 
out  of  the  tangled  maze  of  doubt  by  the  light  which  our  position 
has  thrown  upon  their  path." 

The  sum  of  these  extracts  is  this:  The  Disciple  Church  is  a 
mere  experiment,  and  if  it  proves  successful,  it  will  live  to  do 
good;  but  if  it  proves  unsuccessful,  it  will  be  a  great  injury. 
What  it  will  result  in,  is  a  matter  for  the  future,  and  that  alone, 
to  determine.  This  from  the  best  of  authority,  settles  the  ques- 
tion under  consideration  against  the  Disciples.  I  will,  however, 
offer  one  more  quotation,  from  the  pen  of  Clark  Braden,  in  the 
same  number  of  the  Review: 

"Will  our  papers  stop  falsifying  the  teaching  of  the  Bible,  the 
plain  declarations  of  the  son  of  God,  and  all  sense,  and  stop 


JOSEPH  SMITH  123 

jabbering  the  stuff  about  'pieces  of  days  being  counted  for  whole 
days,'  and  cease  retailing  this  papal  falsehood  that  Jesus  was 
crucified  on  Friday  and  lay  in  the  tomb  thirty  hours? " 

No  other  church  having  had  the  audacity  to  make  the  claim 
in  question,  no  other  need  be  considered. 

There  is  a  logic,  superior  to  all  other  logic,  the  logic  of  events. 
When  facts  and  theories  stand  opposed  to  each  other,  theories 
must  fail.  Theories  do  well  enough  as  playthings  for  the 
would-be  wise;  but  when  exploded  by  facts  and  still  adhered  to, 
they  become  the  "heritage  of  fools."  The  theory  in  question 
supposes,  and  the  supposition  is  vital  to  its  existence,  that  the 
spiritual  gifts  and  miraculous  manifestations  attending  the  gos- 
pel in  the  days  of  the  apostles,  were  to  cease  when  the  apostles 
and  those  to  whom  they  communicated  these  blessings  were 
dead.  If,  therefore,  the  facts  are  that  these  gifts  did  not  cease 
at  the  time  supposed,  but  continued  for  a  long  time  thereafter, 
the  theory  wanting  support  in  evidence,  falls  to  the  ground. 

IrenaBus,  who  lived  at  the  end  of  the  second  century,  says: 
"Far  are  they — the  churches — from  raising  the  dead  in  the  man- 
ner the  Lord  and  his  apostles  did,  by  prayer; 'yet  even  among 
the  brethren,  frequently  in  a  case  of  necessity,  when  a  whole 
church  has  united  in  much  fasting  and  prayer,  the  spirit  has 
returned  to  the  ex-animated  body,  and  the  man  has*been  granted 
to  the  prayers  of  the  saints." — Eusebius,  p.  214. 

Irenseus  says  again:  "Some  most  certainly  and  truly  cast  out 
demons,  so  that  frequently  those  persons  themselves  that  were 
cleansed  from  wicked  spirits,  believed  and  were  received  into 
the  church.  Others  have  the  knowledge  of  things  to  come,  as 
also  visions  and  prophetic  communications.  Others  heal  the 
sick  by  the  imposition  of  hands,  and  restore  them  to  health. 
And  moreover,  as  we  said  above,  even  the  dead  have  been 
raised,  and  continued  with  us  many  years.  And  why  should  we 
say  more?  It  is  impossible  to  tell  the  number  of  gifts  which 
'the  church  throughout  the  world  received  from  God,  and  the 
deeds  performed  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  crucified 
under  Pontius  Pilate,  and  this,  too,  every  day  for  the  benefit  of 
the  heathen,  without  receiving  any,  or  exacting  any  money." 

He  says  again:  "We  hear  of  many  of  the  brethren  in  the 
church  who  have  prophetic  gifts,  and  who  speak  in  all  tongues 


124  JOSEPH  SMITH 

through  the  Spirit,  and  who  also  bring  to  light  the  secret  things 
of  men  for  their  benefit,  and  who  expound  the  mysteries  of  God." 
— Eusebius,  p.  215. 

Tertullian,  who  lived  in  the  latter  part  of  the  second  century, 
in  his  work  "De  Anima,"  says:  "We  had  a  right  after  what 
was  said  by  Saint  John  to  expect  prophesyings;  and  we  not  only 
acknowledged  these  spiritual  gifts,  but  we  are  permitted  to  enjoy 
the  gifts  of  a  prophetess. 

"Let  some  one  be  brought  forward  here  at  the  foot  of  your 
judgment  seat,  who,  it  is  agreed,  is  possessed  of  a  demon. 
When  commanded  by  any  Christian  to  speak,  that  spirit  shall  as 
truly  call  itself  a  demon,  as  elsewhere  falsely  a  god."— Apology, 
p.  23. 

Saint  Cyprian,  who  was  a  pupil  of  Tertullian,  and  who  suffered 
martyrdom  in  A.  D.  258,  says:  "There  is  no  measure  or  rule  in 
the  dispensation  of  the  gifts  of  heaven,  as  in  those  of  the  gifts 
of  earth.  The  Spirit  is  poured  forth  liberally,  without  limits  or 
barriers.  It  flows  without  stop,  it  overflows  without  stint." 

He  invited  Demetrius,  proconsul  of  Africa,  to  witness  the 
exorcism  of  demons.  "You  may  see  them  by  our  voice,  and 
through  the  operation  of  the  unseen  majesty,  lashed  with  stripes 
and  scorched  with  fire,  stretched  out  under  the  increase  of  their 
multiplying  penalty,  shrieking,  groaning,  entreating,  confessing 
from  which  they  came,  even  in  the  hearing  of  their  own  wor- 
shipers, and  either  leaping  out  suddenly,  or  gradually  vanishing, 
as  faith  in  the  sufferer  aids,  or  grace  in  the  healer  conspires."— 
Life  of  Cyprian's  Deacon  Pontius,  17. 

Origen  was  contemporary  with  Cyprian  and  says:  "There  are 
no  longer  any  prophets,  nor  any  miracles  amongst  the  Jews,  of 
which  there  are  large  vestiges  amongst  the  Christians." 

He  argues  against  Celsus  thus:  "By  the  use  of  the  name 
alone  of  God  and  Jesus,  we  too  have  seen  many  set  free  from 
severe  complaints;  from  loss  of  mind,  from  madness,  and  num- 
berless such  other  evils,  which  neither  man  nor  devils  had' 
cured."— Book  3,  24. 

Eusebius  in  the  commencement  of  the  fourth  century  says: 
"Who  is  he  who  knows  not  how  delightful  it  is  to  us  that 
through  the  name  of  our  Savior,  coupled  with  prayers  that  are 
pure,  we  cast  out  every  kind  of  demon?  And  thus  the  word  of 


JOSEPH    SMITH  125 

our  Savior,  and  the  doctrine  which  is  from  him,  have  made  us 
all  to  be  greatly  superior  to  the  power  which  is  invisible,  and 
impervious  to  inquiry." — Eusebius,  p.  340. 

Saint  Ambrose,  who  lived  to  the  end  of  the  fourth  century, 
in  his  fourth  epistle,  says:  "You  know,  ye  yourselves  saw  that 
many  were  cleansed  from  evil  spirits,  very  many  on  touching 
with  their  hands  the  garments  of  the  saints,  were  delivered 
from  the  affirmities  which  oppress  them.  The  miracles  of  the 
old  time  are  come  again,  when  by  the  advent  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
a  fuller  grace  was  shed  on  earth.  Saint  Augustine,  who  lived 
to  near  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century  (430),  bears  ample 
testimony  to  the  continuation  of  the  miraculous  powers  in 
the  church  then." — History  Supernatural,  vol.  1,  p.  148. 

"Saint  Jerome,  also  living  in  the  fifth  century,  relates 
numerous  miracles,  such  as  the  restoration  of  the  sight  of  a 
woman  who  had  been  blind  for  ten  years,  the  instant  cure  of 
the  bites  of  serpents,  of  paralytic  persons,  of  the  casting  out 
of  devils,  etc.  Sulpicius,  in  his  dialogues  and  life  of  Saint 
Martin  in  the  fifth  century,  relates  a  number  of  miracles, 
which  he  professes  to  have  seen  himself." — Ibid.,  p.  448. 

This  line  of  evidence  is  strengthened  and  enforced  by  all  the 
early  historians  of  the  church,  who  had  a  much  better  oppor- 
tunity to  judge  of  the  weight  that  should  be  given  to  the  testi- 
mony of  the  Fathers  referred  to.  We  have  a  series  of  live 
historians  of  the  church,  reaching  from  the  apostolic  times  to 
the  end  of  the  sixth  century,  Eusebius,  Socrates,  Scholasticus, 
Sozomen,  Theodoret,  and  Evagrius.  Eusebius  quotes  Hegisip- 
pus,  and  Papias,  who  went  before  him;  Socrates,  Sozomen, 
and  Theodoret,  all  treat  of  nearly  the  same  period  of  time, 
from  about  A.  D.  300,  to  A.  D.  445;  Evagrius  advances  from 
431  to  594  A.  D. ;  yet  all  maintain  the  same  great  doctrine  of 
the  copious  existence  and  free  exercise  of  the  miraculous 
power  in  the  church  during  those  six  centuries. 

Grotius,  the  great  jurist,  John  Locke,  the  great  moral 
philosopher,  and  Doctor  Ralph  Cudworth,  were  perfectly 
satisfied  of  the  historical  authenticity  of  the  miracles 
recorded  by  the  early  Fathers.  When  this  array  of 
testimony  is  presented,  nothing  is  opposed  to  it  but 
an  unsupported  denial.  What  does  such  a  denial  mean? 


126  JOSEPH  SMITH 

1.  That  the  evidence  submitted  can  not  be  met  and  overcome  by 
any  contradictory  evidence.  2.  That  the  witnesses  can  not  be 
shown  to  bear  false  testimony.  3.  That  the  case  in  favor  of  the 
continuance  of  miracles  long  after  the  theory  in  question  sup- 
poses them  to  have  ceased,  is  made,  and  can  not  be  in  any  way 
overcome.  4.  It  asserts  that  the  very  historians  upon  whom  we 
rely  for  the  canon  of  Scripture  that  these  same  theorists  assert 
is  absolutely  perfect,  are  not  only  unreliable,  but  absolute  falsi- 
fiers. When  two  parties  enter  court,  one  affirming  and  the  other 
denying  certain  things,  and  the  affirmative  offers  a  host  of  wit- 
nesses to  prove  his  position,  whose  veracity  is  unimpeached 
by  any  evidence,  and  the  negative  offers  no  evidence  what- 
ever, it  does  not  take  a  very  astute  judge,  nor  one  very  exten- 
sively learned  in  the  law,  to  tell  which  way  the  case  should  be 
decided. 

Miracles,  then,  did  not  cease  at  the  time  this  objection  affirms 
they  were  to  cease.  Facts  well  attested  and  absolutely  impreg- 
nable, are  opposed  to  this  theory.  It  is  therefore  as  false  in  fact 
as  we  have  before  seen  it  is  in  logic.  If  we  should  say  to  a  man, 
"You  are  not  able  to  raise  a  hundred  pounds  from  the  earth," 
and  he  immediately  steps  to  a  substance  of  that  weight  and 
raises  it,  how  much  is  our  bare  assertion  worth?  The  theory  in 
question  says  that  miracles  ceased  with  the  apostles  and  those 
upon  whom  they  laid  their  hands;  the  facts  are  that  they  did  not 
so  cease.  How  worthless  then  the  theory. 

There  is,  however,  an  attempt  made  to  bolster  up  the  falling 
fabric,  by  the  assumption  that  the  twelve  apostles  were  called  by 
Christ,  and  endowed  with  miraculous  power,  in  order  to  the  giv- 
ing through  them  to  the  world  of  a  perfect  law,  the  law  of  the 
gospel;  and  that  when  this  perfect  law  should  have  been  given, 
then  inspiration  was  to  cease,  because  it  had  done  its  work. 
This  supposition  will  be  found,  however,  upon  examination  to 
only  make  the  matter  worse.  It  is  erroneous  in  the  following 
respects: 

The  supposition  that  the  giving  of  a  perfect  law  to  the  world 
was  the  work  of  the  apostles,  is  untrue.  In  the  last  chapter  of 
Matthew  the  Savior  gives  the  apostles  their  commission:  "Go 
ye  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost:  teaching 


JOSEPH  SMITH  127 

them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you : 
and,  lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world. 
Amen. "— Matthew  28:  19,  20. 

Just  what  the  apostles  were  commanded  to  teach  and  intro- 
duce to  the  world  as  the  doctrine  of  Christ  is  here  pointed  out; 
namely,  "all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you."  Jesus 
then  had  already  given  the  full  and  perfect  law  of  the  gospel; 
and  the  work  of  the  apostles  was  to  teach  that  law  to  the  nations 
of  the  earth.  If,  then,  the  object  of  inspiration  was  the  giving 
of  this  perfect  law,  it  should  have  ceased  with  Christ. 

The  twelve  apostles  chosen  by  Christ  were  Simon,  Andrew, 
James,  John,  Philip,  Bartholomew,  Matthew,  Thomas,  James, 
Simon  called  Zelotes,  Judas  the  brother  of  James,  and  Judas 
Iscariot.  After  Judas  Iscariot's  traitorous  act,  Matthias  was 
chosen  to  take  his  place.  The  twelve  above  enumerated,  then, 
with  Matthias  in  the  place  of  Judas  Iscariot,  were  sent  forth  to 
give  to  the  world  a  perfect  law.  Let  us  note  carefully  their 
work.  Of  this  twelve  we  have  writings  from  Peter,  John,  James, 
and  Jude;  but  not  a  word  of  either  preaching  or  writing  from 
any  one  of  the  others.  If  Christ  chose  twelve  men  to  do  a  cer- 
tain work,  he  evidently  designed  that  each  of  those  twelve 
should  do  a  certain  part  of  it;  else  his  wisdom  in  selecting  so 
great  a  number  is  at  fault.  If  that  work  which  those  twelve 
men  were  to  do  was  the  giving  to  the  world  of  a  perfect  law  in 
the  form  of  the  New  Testament  Scriptures,  then  all  the  preach- 
ing and  all  the  writing  of  every  one  of  those  twelve  inspired 
men  must  be  preserved  and  given  to  the  world  in  order  to  accom- 
plish the  work  designed.  If  the  object  of  inspiration  is  the 
communication  to  the  world  and  the  perpetuation  in  the  world 
of  a  perfect  law,  then  whenever  inspiration  operated  upon  an^ 
one  of  those  apostles  in  preaching,  writing,  counseling,  or 
advising,  whether  in  public  or  in  private,  such  preaching,  writ- 
ing, counseling,  or  advising,  must  be  preserved  and  given  to  the 
world,  or  the  work  will  not  be  accomplished.  If  this  position  be 
true,  the  object  in  inspiring  the  twelve  apostles,  was  to  produce 
through  each  one  of  them  a  certain  effect,  the  sum  of  all  these 
effects  to  be  the  perfected  gospel.  Inasmuch  then  as  nothing 
is  perfect,  if  any  of  its  parts  are  lacking,  if  any  of  the  inspira- 
tional writings,  preaching,  counseling,  advising,  or  exhorting  of 


128  JOSEPH  SMITH 

these  twelve  apostles  is  not  found  in  the  New  Testament  Scrip- 
tures, such  New  Testament  Scriptures,  according  to  this  theory, 
do  not  contain  the  perfected  law  of  the  gospel.  To  illustrate : 
Suppose  twelve  men  are  called  to  build  a  certain  building,  each 
one  being  assigned  to  a  certain  portion  thereof.  A  fragment  of 
the  work  of  four  of  these  men  is  preserved,  and  not  one  particle 
of  the  work  of  the  other  eight;  would  any  one  but  a  modern 
theologian  tell  us  that  such  a  building  is  perfect,  even  as  per- 
feat  as  God  himself  could  make  it? 

If  the  communications  through  these  twelve  were  to  constitute 
a  perfect  law,  then  any  addition  from  any  other  source  would 
make  such  law  imperfect;  for  either  adding  to  or  taking  from 
that  which  is  perfect,  renders  it  imperfect.  In  the  New  Testa- 
ment we  have  the  epistles  of  Saint  Paul,  who  was  not  one  of  the 
original  twelve  whom  Jesus  called  to  give  the  perfect  law  of  the 
gospel  to  the  world.  There  is  no  account  of  his  being  called  to 
fill  the  place  of  a  transgressor,  and  the  fair  presumption  is  that 
he  was  called  to  fill  the  place  of  one  who  had  done  the  work 
which  Christ  designed  he  should  do,  and  had  fallen  asleep. 
Clearly,  then,  according  to  the  position  under  review,  the  writ- 
ings of  Paul  are  in  addition  to  the  perfect  law  of  God  given 
through  the  original  twelve.  His  writings  then  should  at  once 
be  rejected.  The  great  building  of  heavenly  truth  was  com- 
pleted by  other  hands.  Did  this  perfect  building  need  another 
story,  an  addition  on  the  top  of  its  roof,  or  a  side  room  or  two 
after  its  completion  according  to  the  design  of  the  all- wise 
Architect?  There  is  also  no  proper  place  for  the  inspiration  of 
the  Apostle  Barnabas;  no  chance  for  the  exercise  of  the  inspi- 
rational gift  which  Paul  exhorted  Timothy  to  exercise;  no 
opportunity  for  the  exercise  of  the  inspirational  gifts  that  were 
in  the  church ;  these  would  all  be  unwarranted  usurpations,  or 
useless  plays;  attempts  to  stand  in  the  shoes  of  the  first  twelve 
apostles,  and  in  their  stead  add  beauty  and  completeness  to  the 
great  building  of  God's  truth.  Such  are  the  absurdities  to  which 
false  theories  lead;  such  the  vanity  of  trifling  with  the  plain 
promises  of  God. 

We  enforce  our  objections  to  the  theory  in  question;  that  is, 
the  cessation  of  the  spiritual  gifts,  by  the  promise  of  Christ  in 
the  sixteenth  chapter  of  Mark:  "He  that  believeth  and  is  bap- 


JOSEPH  SMITH  129 

tized  shall  be  saved;  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned. 
And  these  signs  shall  follow  them  that  believe,"  etc. 

Every  attempt  has  been  made  to  get  rid  of  this  passage  of 
scripture;  every  excuse  originated  for  regarding  it  as  spurious. 
Yet  the  late  revisers  of  the  New  Testament,  upon  a  thorough 
and  scholastic  review  and  comparison  of  all  the  manuscripts  of 
the  gospel  of  Saint  Mark,  concluded  it  was  genuine. 

In  this  passage  of  scripture  three  distinct  promises  are  made 
by  the  Savior,  into  which  one  and  the  same  element  enters:  "He 
that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved;  but  he  that 
believeth  not  shall  be  damned.  And  these  signs  shall  follow 
them  that  believe." 

The  same  kind  of  belief  essential  to  salvation,  will  cause  the 
signs  to  follow;  the  same  kind  of  unbelief  which  is  damning  in 
its  tendency,  will  cause  the  signs  not  to  follow.  He  that  believ- 
eth with  a  proper  belief  and  is  baptized,  may  be  saved;  he  that 
does  not  believe  with  this  same  kind  of  belief,  shall  be  damned ; 
and  these  signs  shall  follow  those  who  believe  with  this  same 
kind  of  belief.  The  promise  of  these  blessings  here  occurs  in 
such  a  connection,  that  to  avoid  its  force  and  applicability,  we 
must  also  avoid  the  force  and  applicability  of  the  promise  of  sal- 
vation. If  one  is  general,  the  other  is  also;  if  one  is  limited  as 
to  time  or  place,  the  other  is  also;  if  the  promise  of  the  signs 
following  the  believers  was  applicable  only  to  the  apostles,  the 
promise  of  salvation  upon  the  terms  set  forth,  was  applicable 
only  to  the  apostles.  Any  attempt  to  separate  these  three  prom- 
ises, and  make  one  of  any  broader  application  than  the  other,  is 
arbitrary  and  unwarranted. 

Thus  we  see  that  the  attempt  to  avoid  the  force  of  Saint  Paul's 
reasoning  destroys  the  church  by  lopping  off  its  members;  the 
attempt  to  confine  inspiration  to  the  twelve  apostles  destroys  the 
validity  of  the  New  Testament,  for  not  even  a  majority  of  the 
twelve  lawgivers  is  heard  therein;  and  the  attempt  to  avoid  the 
force  of  Christ's  promise  that  the  signs  should  follow  the  believ- 
ers, destroys  the  hope  of  salvation.  Thus  this  theory  proceeds, 
abandoning  the  plain  promises  of  God,  and  leading  the  way  to 
absolute  unbelief. — Saints'  Herald,  vol.  46,  no.  17. 


130  JOSEPH  SMITH 

OBJECTION  NUMBER  SEVEN. 

"We  have  advanced  in  science,  literature,  and  art, 
why  not  in  the  gospel  of  Christ?  Why  not  the  one  as 
well  as  the  other?" 

We  answer :  because  one  is  perfect  and  emanat- 
ing from  a  perfect  Being,  was  always  perfect;  the 
other  is  more  or  less  imperfectly  discovered  by  man. 
To  outgrow  the  "perfect  law  of  the  Lord" — the 
"everlasting  gospel"  (Revelation  14:  6)  is  to  outgrow 
perfection  and  become  imperfect.  And  that  is  what 
the  sectarian  world,  it  appears  to  us,  has  been  doing 
for  centuries:  outgrowing  perfection. 

OBJECTION  NUMBER  EIGHT. 

"The  Scriptures  were  able  to  make  Timothy  wise 
unto  salvation,  then  why  not  us?" 

But  it  must  be  remembered  that  Timothy  did  not 
know  anything  of  the  New  Testament,  for  the  best  of 
all  reasons, — it  was  not  then  in  existence.  Then, 
shall  we  say  that  the  New  Testament  is  unnecessary, 
seeing  it  was  written  mostly  after  that  time?  If  the 
New  Testament  did  not  destroy  or  change  the  plan  of 
salvation,  would  anything  that"*  God  would  give 
to-day  destroy  or  change  it?  Certainly  not;  it  would 
but  confirm  it.  If  the  Old  Testament  made  men  wise 
unto  salvation  then  the  Old  and  New  combined  ought 
to  make  men  wiser  still  to  meet  the  increased  objec- 
tions of  that  time.  To  meet  the  great  flood  of  infi- 
delity to-day  it  would  not  make  us  less  wise  to 
further  instruct  us  and  prepare  us  for  their  attacks. 
Latter  Day  Saints  everywhere  claim  they  have  con- 
verted a  larger  per  cent  of  intelligent  infidels  than 
any  other  church. 


JOSEPH  SMITH  131 

OBJECTION  NUMBER  NINE. 

"I  can  not  accept  any  prophet  who  does  not  die  in 
Jerusalem,  for  Jesus  said:  'It  can  not  be  that  a 
prophet  perish  out  of  Jerusalem.'  " 

By  turning  to  this  text  in  Luke  13 :  33,  it  will  be 
seen  that  Jesus  spake  this  of  the  ancient  prophets. 
For  he,  himself,  did  not  die  in  Jerusalem,  neither  did 
Paul  or  Jude  or  the  Revelator.  They  all  prophesied 
and  yet  they  all  died  outside  of  that  city. 

OBJECTION   NUMBER  TEN. 

This  objection  is  based  upon  a  text  found  in  1 
Corinthians  13:8-10,  and  reads  as  follows:  "Char- 
ity never  faileth:  but  whether  there  be  prophecies, 
they  shall  fail,  whether  there  be  tongues,  they  ishall 
cease;  whether  there  be  knowledge,  it  shall  vanish 
away.  For  we  know  in  part,  and  we  prophesy  in 
part.  But  when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  then 
that  which  is  in  part  shall  be  done  away." 

From  this  text  it  is  argued  by  some,  that  "in  the 
future  from  that  time,  prophecies  were  to  fail,  and 
tongues  cease." 

So  they  were,'  but  when?  Has  the  time  yet  come? 
We  answer,  No.  For  they  were  each  to  continue  as 
long  as  knowledge.  No  one  will  claim  that  knowl- 
edge has  yet  vanished  away,  besides  they  were  all 
three  to  continue  until  "that  which  is  perfect  is 
come."  That  time  has  not  come  yet,  so  far  as  lan- 
guage, prophecy,  or  knowledge  is  concerned.  If  it 
refers  to  the  perfect  One,  then  he  has  not  yet 
appeared  personally,  and  spiritually  he  is  no  more 
here  now  than  then.  If  it  refers  to  the  gospel,  as 
some  think,  then  we  answer:  The  gospel  was  per- 


132  JOSEPH  SMITH 

feet  then,  and  had  been  from  the  beginning,  and 
could  not  become  more  so.  It  is  further  evident  that 
the  Holy  Ghost  was  to  continue  in  full  working 
power  when  men  would  open  their  hearts  to  receive 
it,  until  the  perfect  One  should  come  the  second  time 
without  sin  unto  salvation,  and  establish  peace  and 
perfection  upon  the  earth. 

If  there  are  three  persons  in  the  Godhead,  as  we 
most  surely  believe,  and  one  is  "unchangeable,"  the 
other  "the  same  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  for 
ever,"  then  what  shall  we  say  of  the  third?  Is  not 
his  nature  similar?  We  think  so.  So  that  those  who 
obtain  that  spirit  to -clay  will  as  surely  obtain  its  gifts, 
prophecy  among  others,  when  and  to  whom  God  sees 
fit  to  bestow  it. 

The  Scriptures  show  there  were  to  be  prophets  in 
our  day,  in  proof  of  which  we  cite  Joel  2:  28:  "And 
it  shall  come  to  pass  afterward,  that  I  will  pour  out 
my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh;  and  your  sons  and  your 
daughters  shall  prophesy,  your  old  men  shall  dream 
dreams,  your  young  men  shall  see  visions." 

Peter  quotes  this  verse  a  little  different.  He  says, 
"It  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  daysi"  etc. 

We  want  to  determine  if  we  can  what  Joel  means 
by  the  word  "afterward."  After  what,  or  after 
when?  Evidently  after  Palestine  is  restored.  For 
he  had  in  this  and  in  the  previous  chapter  predicted 
that  a  curse  of  drouth  would  rest  upon  that  land  for 
many  years  and  in  the  previous  verses  he  had  fore- 
told the  restoration  of  God's  favor  on  that  land  and 
how  it  would  yield  her  increase;  "the  fats  shall  over- 
flow with  wine  and  oil"  and  the  Lord  would  restore  the 
years  that  had  been  eaten  by  "the  caterpillar,  the 


(  ^ 

JOSEPH  SMITH  133 

palmerworm  and  the  cankerworm"  and  that  he  would 
give  them  the  "former  and  latter  rain"  and  they  should 
"eat  in  plenty  and  be  satisfied,"  and  then  he  adds: 
"And  it  shall  come  to  pass  afterward  .  .  .  your  sons 
and  your  daughters  shall  prophesy,"  and  that  spir- 
itual dreams  and  visions  were  to  be  received  of  God. 
This  prophecy  has  been  fulfilled  in  part  in  the  cen- 
tury just  closed  and  is  yet  in  process  of  fulfillment 
and  will  continue  until  his  Spirit  is  poured  out  on  all 
flesh.  Not  until  1852  did  God  begin  to  send  the  for- 

~mePliji3"la^^  Palestine  which  had  been 

withheld  for  centuries.  In  our  fathers'  boyhood  days 
that  land  was  yet  a  wilderness  parched  and  dry; 
even  the  Arab  scarcely  pitched  his  tent  there  for  a 
day.  To-day  that  land  is  indeed  blossoming  as  a 
rose,  so  much  so  that  many  of  the  Jews  have  recently 
gathered  again  on  their  fatherland,  and'  wandering 
Israel  everywhere  is  anxious  to  gather  to  their  Zion 
home.  Thousands  upon  thousands  of  dollars  have 
been  subscribed  by  them  for  the  purpose  of  purchas- 
ing that  land  from  the  Turkish  Government,  that 
they  may  establish  a  government  and  a  name  for 
themselves.  This  is  known  as  the  "Zionist  move- 
ment" of  which  one  may  read  daily  in  the  papers. 
Let  us  notice  history  to  see  when  the  jand^  was 

^urlseanSy^lIr^^  discover,  if  we 

can,  how  it  has  recently  been  restored: 

Eighteen  centuries  of  war,  ruin,  and  neglect,  have  passed  over 
it.  Its  valleys  have  been  cropped  for  ages  without  the  least 
attempts  at  fertilization.  Its  terraced  walls  have  been  allowed 
to  crumble,  and  its  soil  has  washed  down  its  ravines,  leaving  the 
hillsides  rocky  and  sterile.  Its  trees  have  been  cut  down  and 
never  replaced.  Its  fields  have  been  desolate.  Its  structures 
pillaged  and  all  its  improvements  ruthlessly  destroyed.  A  land 


134  JOSEPH  SMITH 

of  ruins  without  man  or  beast.  Everywhere  on  plain  or  moun- 
tain, in  rocky  desert  or  beetling  cliff,  the  spoiler's  hand  has  rested. 
— Meclintock  and  Strong's  Encyclopedia,  article  Palestine. 

From  the  Chicago  Record  of  June  14,  1895,  we 
copy  the  following  under  the  heading : 

CHANGES  IN  THE  HOLY  LAND. 

The  history  of  nations  in  the  past  has  been  much  affected  by 
climatic  changes,  and  in  turn  climatic  changes  have  almost 
invariably  been  brought  about  through  man's  agency.  Com- 
pare the  once  fertile  Palestine  in  the  days  of  Solomon,  with  the 
jarid,treeless  Palestine  of  to-day;  or  the  once  beautiful  Persia, 
"mThV5me^bT^ynis7 with  the  present  hot  and  sterile  Persia; 
and  the  Messopotamian  Valley  when  it  supported  the  vast  popu- 
lation of  Assyria  and  Babylon,  with  the  sun-burnt  plains  and 
scenes  of  ruin  and  desolation  there  to-day.  Nowhere  on  the 
globe  was  there  a  richer  alluvium  than  in  the  valley  of  the  lower 
Euphrates — a  spot  which  was  the  cradle  of  the  human  race,  and 
where  for  long  centuries,  to  within  perhaps  a  thousand  years 
ago,  the  soil  yielded  abundance  for  the  wants  of  the  vast  popu- 
lation. But  now  mark  the  change.  When  Babylon  was  at  the 
zenith  of  its  power  and  was  the  pride  of  Chaldee's  excellency, 
Isaiah  pronounced  the  following  prophecy:  "And  Babylon, 
the  glory  of  the  kingdoms,  the  beauty  of  the  Chaldee's  excel- 
lency, shall  be  as  when  God  overthrew  Sodom  and  Gomorrah. 
It  shall  never  be  inhabited,  neither  shall  it  be  dwelt  in  from 
generation  to  generation:  neither  shall  the  Arabian  pitch  tent 
there;  neither  shall  the  shepherds  make  their  folds  there.  But 
wild  beasts  of  the  desert  shall  lie  there ;  and  their  houses  shall 
be  full  of  doleful  creatures;  and  owls  shall  dwell  there,  and 
satyrs  shall  dance  there.  And  the  wild  beasts  of  the  islands 
shall  cry  in  their  desolate  houses,  and  dragons  in  their  pleasant 
places:  and  her  time  is  near  to  come,  and  her  days  shall  not  be 
prolonged.  And  I  will  sweep  it  with'  the  besom  of  destruction, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts." 

For  a  thousand  years  or  more  this  prophecy  has 
been  literally  fulfilled.  Of  the  Holy  Land  Isaiah  has 
said : 


JOSEPH  SMITH  135 

Upon  the  land  of  my  people  shall  come  up  thorns  and  briars; 
yea,  upon  all  the  houses  of  joy  in  the  joyous  city:  because  the 
palaces  shall  be  forsaken;  the  multitude  of  the  city  shall  be 
left;  the  forts  and  towers  shall  be  for  dens  for  ever,  a  joy  of  wild 
asses,  a  pasture  of  flocks;  until  the  Spirit  be  poured  out  upon 
us  from  on  high,  and  the  wilderness  be  a  fruitful  field,  and  the 
fruitful  field  be  counted  for  a  forest. — Isaiah  32:  13-15. 

In  the  last  reference  it  is  indicated  very  clearly 
that  though  that  great  curse  had  been  pronounced 
upon  them,  yet  their  fields  were  again  to  be  fruitful, 
and  in  connection  with  that  the  Spirit  was  to  be 
poured  out.  This  prophecy  has  certainly  been  ful- 
filled in  our  day  as  all  who  read  the  papers  and 
reports  may  learn.  The  above  article  from  the 
Chicago  Record  speaks  more  particularly  of  Babylon 
and  Persia  as  the  reference  given  to  Isaiah's  prophecy 
aims  directly  at  Babylon,  but  says  little  of  Palestine 
of  to-day,  and  that  little  seems  to  be  an'  oversight, 
for  Palestine  has  recently  become  more  fertile  than 
any  other  parcel  of  land  on  the  globe  if  statistical 
reports  are  true,  some  of  which  we  shall  presently 
refer  to.  This  seems  wonderful  that  amid  all  that 
great  arid  expanse  of  country  one  little  section 
should  again  become  "a  fruitful  field." 

From  The  Truth  Defended,  by  Heman  C.  Smith, 
we  quote  the  following  extract  of  a  sermon  preached 
in  Birmingham,  England,  May  29,  1877,  by  Reverend 
G.  J.  Emanuel: 

Six  hundred  and  thirty  years  ago  Nachmanides,  a  name  illus- 
trious in  Jewish  literature,  went  to  the  Holy  Land  at  the  age  of 
seventy  years,  and  this  is  how  he  describes  Palestine  and  Jeru- 
salem: "Great  is  the  solitude  and  great  the  wastes,  and  tc 
characterize  it  in  short,  the  more  sacred  the  places,  the  greatei 
their  desolation.  Jerusalem  is  more  desolate  than  the  rest  oj 
the  country.  In  all  the  city  there  is  but  one  resident  inhabitant, 


136  JOSEPH   SMITH 

a  poor  dyer,  persecuted,  oppressed,  and  despised.  At  his  house 
gather  great  and  small,  when  they  can  get  the  Ten  Men  (Min- 
yan).  They  are  wretched  folk  without  occupation  and  trade, 
pilgrims  and  beggars,  though  the  fruit  of  the  land  is  still  mag- 
nificent and  the  harvests  rich.  It  indeed  is  still  a  blessed  coun- 
try, flowing  with  milk  and  honey.  Oh!  I  am  the  man  who  has 
seen  affliction.  (Lamentations  3:1.)  I  am  banished  from  my 
table,  far  removed  from  friend  and  kinsman,  and  too  long  is  the 
distance  to  meet  again.  I  have  left  my  family,  I  have  forsaken 
my  house.  There,  with  my  sons  and  daughters,  and  with  the 
sweet  and  dear  grandchildren,  whom  I  have  brought  up  on  my 
knees,  I  left  also  my  soul.  My  heart  and  my  eyes  will  dwell 
with  them  for  ever.  But  the  loss  of  all  these  is  compensated  by 
having  now  the  joy  of  being  a  day  in  thy  courts,  O  Jerusalem! 
visiting  the  ruins  of  thy  temple  and  crying  over  thy  ruined 
sanctuary.  There  I  caress  thy  stones,  I  fondle  thy  dust,  I  weep 
over  thy  ruins.  May  he  who  has  permitted  us  to  see  Jerusalem 
in  her  desertion  bless  us  to  behold  her  again  built  up  and 
restored  when  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  return  to  her." 

So  spake  Nachmanides  in  the  year  5027.  We  are  now  in  the 
year  5657.  How  different  is  the  sight  which  now  greets  the  eye 
in  Jerusalem!  Nachmanides  found  but  one  of  our  race  perma- 
nently residing  there.  There  are  this  day  many  thousands.  In 
the  house  of  that  one  man  public  prayers  were  said  when  the 
Ten  could  be  got  together.  Now  synagogues  great  and  small 
abound.  Shall  we  then  not  believe  that  Zion  will  be  rebuilt 
in  the  sense  that  the  land  of  our  fathers  shall  be  our  land 
again?  .  .  . 

If  we  want  our  faith  stimulated,  if  we  would  see  actual  steps 
taken  towards  the  restoration  of  our  people  to  their  old  home, 
we  must  go  away  from  the  holy  cities — Jerusalem,  Hebron, 
Safed,  Tiberias.  We  must  leave  the  cities  and  go  to  the  land. 
There  is  vitality  there,  and  work  and  hope.  There  can  be  seen 
schools,  industries,  colonies.  A  mile  outside  the  Jaffa  gate  at 
Jerusalem  is  the  school  presided  over  by  Nissim  Behar.  The 
boys  learn  languages,  but  also  carpentering,  cabinet-making, 
metal  work,  coach-making.  There  they  make  or  repair  all 
manner  of  machines,  pumps,  coffee  and  flour  mills,  sewing  and 
weighing  machines,  and  to  show  you  that  civilization  is  making 


JOSEPH   SMITH  137 

way  in  Palestine,  bicycles  too.  The  pupils  of  this  school  find 
employment  all  over  the  East.  Near  the  city  of  Jaffa  is  an 
agricultural  school  "Mikveh  Israel"  (the  hope  of  Israel), 
founded  by  Charles  Netter  twenty- seven  years  ago.  There, 
besides  languages,  mathematics,  and  chemistry,  the  lads  learn 
agriculture,  they  grow  oranges,  vines,  fruits,  corn.  They  make 
their  own  wine,  most  excellent,  and  make  their  own  barrels. 
Fifty  of  the  past  pupils  are  officers  in  various  colonies;  fifty  are 
proprietors  of  their  own  lands.  On  the  colonies  of  Baron  Roths- 
child and  those  recently  established  by  the  Chovevi  Zion 
Associations  many  hundreds,  I  shall  not  exaggerate  if  I  say 
thousands,  are  working,  growing  corn  and  all  fruits,  making 
wine  in  large  quantities,  cultivating  mulberry-trees,  rearing 
silkworms,  and  spinning  silk,  manufacturing  perfumes.  In 
addition  to  these  large  colonies  actually  established,  tracts  of 
land  are  held  by  Baron  Rothschild  which  gradually  will  be 
brought  under  cultivation.  Shall  we  then  not  hope  and 
believe? 

When  solitary  pilgrims  traveled  there,  to  kiss  the  stones,  to 
embrace  the  dust  and  to  die,  our  people  living  then,  if  living  it 
could  be  called,  in  hourly  danger  of  death,  believed  that  Pales- 
tine would  again  be  peopled  by  the  race  of  Israel!  Shall  we 
then  doubt,  we  who  live  in  freedom,  respected,  prosperous,  able 
at  our  ease  to  go,  as  pleasure-seekers,  and  see  for  ourselves, 
and  to  behold  with  rejoicing  the  work  of  restoration  well  begun, 
and  waiting  only  our  united  help  to  increase  it  and  make  it  more 
successful?  O  brethren!  the  thoughtful  and  the  religious  of  all 
nations  believe  that  the  land  of  Israel  is  destined  to  be  Israel's 
again.  Are  we  only  to  doubt,  and  question,  and  deny?  We  all 
spend  so  much  on  ourselves,  we  all  waste  so  much,  shall  we  not 
spare  something  for  this  good  work?  If  the  tens  of  thousands 
of  our  race,  all  the  world  over,  who  enjoy  every  luxury,  if  the 
hundreds  of  thousands  who  are  self-supporting  and  have  some- 
thing to  spare  would  combine,  it  would  not  be  long  before  the 
land  of  Israel  would  be  giving  sustenance  to  thousands  of  Jewish 
agriculturists,  living  as  in  times  of  yore,  each  man  under  his 
own  vine  and  his  own  fig-tree.  Understand  me.  With  the 
united  help  of  Israelites,  Palestine  will  in  time  be  filled  with 
flourishing  communities  of  our  people,  no  longer  massed  in 


138  JOSEPH  SMITH 

cities,  no  longer  recipients  of  charitable  gifts,  but  spread  over 
the  land,  a  brave,  sturdy  body  of  peasant  agriculturists,  feed- 
ing their  flocks,  cultivating  their  fields,  tending  their  vineyards, 
gathering  in  their  fruits,  and  prosperous,  contented,  happy. 
This  will  be.  God  has  said  it.  "The  land  is  not  sold  in  perpe- 
tuity. The  land  is  mine,  and  I  have  given  it  to  the  children  of 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob."— Palestina,  for  June,  1897. 

We  also  give  the  following  quotation  from  The 
Truth  Defended  taken  from  Palestina  for  Septem- 
ber, 1897,  in  describing  the  "Judaeo- Palestinian 
Exhibition  at  Hamburg."  It  says: 

The  exhibition  was  opened  with  much  solemnity  on  the  29th 
of  June,  amidst  the  concourse  of  a  number  of  distinguished 
guests,  including  representatives  of  the  general  exhibition,  the 
promoters  of  the  enterprise,  the  leaders  of  the  Jewish  congrega- 
tion, as  also  representatives  of  the  local  press.  The  visitors,  who 
minutely  inspected  the  exhibits,  were  conducted  over  the  place 
by  the  members  of  the  committee,  Mr.  Glucksmann,  late  a  pupil 
of  the  agricultural  school  at  Jaffa,  supplying  the  necessary  expla- 
nations. Every  guest  received  a  copy  of  Mr.  Bambus's  interest- 
ing pamphlet  on  "the  rise  and  present  condition  of  the  Jewish 
villages  in  Palestine." 

The  exhibition  was  opened  to  the  public  at  one  o'clock,  and 
the  whole  afternoon  and  evening  streams  of  visitors  poured  in. 

The  exhibition  presents  a  splendid  view.  The  entrance  to  the 
building  forms  the  representation  of  a  colonist's  cottage.  On 
passing,  the  visitor  is  surprised  by  the  view  of  a  diorama,  show- 
ing in  the  foreground  a  street  of  one  of  the  colonies,  in  the 
background  a  portion  of  Jerusalem;  palm-trees,  olive-trees, 
orange-trees,  almond-trees,  and  pomegranates  appear  in  full 
bloom.  The  space  to  the  right  is  occupied  by  an  exhibition  of 
cotton  textures,  manufactured  by  the  pupils  of  the  agricultural 
school  at  Jaffa;  by  silkworm-cocoons,  silks,  carpets,  and  a 
splendid  array  of  carvings  in  olive  and  cedarwood.  The  left  is 
reserved  for  the  exhibition  of  all  sorts  of  field  produce,  as 
wheat,  barley,  sesame,  durrah,  lupines,  peas,  beans,  lentils,  and 
several  varieties  of  excellent  potatoes.  Lower  down,  there  are 
samples  of  oranges,  honey,  olive-oil,  eau-de-cologne,  various 


JOSEPH   SMITH  139 

sorts  of  wine,  grapes,  liquors,  jams,  etc.  It  was  impossible  to 
exhibit  young  vines,  for  reason,  that  there  exists,  as  yet,  no 
convention  with  Turkey  in  regard  to  precautionary  measures 
against  phyloxera.  The  growth  of  asparagus  was,  in  the  Jew- 
ish colonies,  only  commenced  four  years  ago ;  yet,  the  samples 
prove  a  careful  treatment,  and  promise  good  results  for  the 
future. 

Most  interesting  are  the  above-mentioned  large  trees.  Mr. 
Glucksmann,  on  leaving  Jaffa  on  the  16th  of  May,  took  with  him 
twenty- four  trees  from  the  Jewish  villages  of  Rishon  L'Zion 
and  Ekron.  On  being  shipped,  a  splendid  olive-tree  unfortu- 
nately fell  into  the  sea.  The  trees  were  first  transported  to  Alex- 
andria, where  they  had  to  remain  for  some  time,  till  they  were 
dispatched  to  Hamburg  by  the  steamer  Rhodes.  When  they  were 
still  in  Alexandria,  a  large  concourse  of  people  assembled  at  the 
harbor  every  day  for  the  purpose  of  admiring  them.  They  suf- 
fered, of  course,  somewhat  during  their  transit  from  the  colonies 
to  the  coast,  the  shipping  at  Jaffa,  and  the  reshipping  at  Alex- 
andria, as  also  from  sea-water.  But  Mr.Glucksmann's  precautions 
and  constant  care  triumphed  over  all  difficulties.  The  pome- 
granate, ethrog  (citron),  and  pineapple-trees  are  in  full  bloom, 
the  olive,  jucca,  orange,  and  palm-trees  show  a  beautiful  and 
fresh  green  foliage.  The  local  press  is  profuse  in  their  praises 
of  this  side-show,  by  which,  they  say,  the  horticultural  exhibi- 
tion has  gained  a  most  interesting  feature. 

The  following  published  in  1853  will  also  illustrate 
the  hand  of  God  upon  this  land : 

I  know  not  whether  you  are  aware  of  the  fact,  but  it  is  one 
that  is  fully  authenticated,  that  the  "latter  rain"  returned  last 
year  to  Mount  Zion— a  rain  that  has  been  withheld,  so  far  as  our 
information  goes,  ever  since  the  dispersion  of  the  people.  And 
he  who  has  brought  back  the  "latter  rain"  in  its  season,  will 
also  give  the  "former  rain"  in  its  season;  and  these  returning 
showers  of  earthly  blessings  are  the  harbingers  of  returning 
showers  of  spiritual  benediction  from  on  high.— Reverend  Hugh 
Stowel,  in  Scottish  Presbyterian  Magazine,  1853;  see  also  Zioris 
Ensign,  December  30,  1897. 


140  JOSEPH  SMITH 

The  above  will  show  when  the  first  rain  fell,  as 
stated  in  the  Record,  "in  a  thousand  years." 

In  D.  A.  Randall's  Handwriting  of  God,  page  19, 
occurs  his  introduction  to  Doctor  Barclay  of  the  Dis- 
ciple Church,  missionary  to  the  land  of  Palestine,  and 
resident  of  Jerusalem  twenty  years,  but  resident  at 
Jaffa  at  the  time  of  Randall's  visit: 

"The  country  about  Jaffa  is  certainly  a  most  delightful  one. 
Extensive  plains,  covered  with  luxuriant  vegetation,  stretched 
along  the  shore  of  the  sea,  and  far  into  the  interior.  Large 
orange  groves  were  just  yielding  their  luxuriant  harvest  of 
golden -colored  fruit.  Such  oranges  I  had  never  before  seen, 
and  had  no  idea  they  ever  grew  to  such  great  size.  The  ground 
was  dotted  with  flowers  of  every  hue,  and  the  air  was  vocal  with 
the  music  of  birds."— Book  Unsealed,  p.  23. 

From  the  Literary  Digest,  as  published  in  the 
Saints'  Herald  for  May  1,  1896,  we  clip  the  follow- 
ing: 

The  attempts  to  restore  the  glory  of  Palestine  and  to  rebuild 
within  its  limits  a  Jewish  nation  are  not  making  as  much  noise 
in  the  world  as  formerly,  but  they  are  steadily  proceeding  none 
the  less.  A  number  of  colonies  have  been  planted  there,  and 
they  even  have  an  organ  published  in  Jerusalem.  This  organ, 
Mich  Foh  Merez  Israel,  publishes  accounts  of  the  progress  of 
colonists,  and  in  a  recent  number  gives  details  which  are  of  con- 
siderable interest.  We  translate  as  follows: 

"The  number  of  Jewish  laborers  in  the  colony  of  Sichron 
Jacob,  ten  miles  from  Haifa,  is  seventy-one.  Of  these  fifty-one 
are  German-speaking  Jews  and  the  remainder  Spanish  Jews  and 
Jews  from  Gemen.  As  to  their  nationalities  fifteen  are  natives, 
twelve  are  from  Roumania,  and  the  rest  come  from  Russia  t 
Twenty  of  the  total  number  have  families,  the  others  are 
unmarried.  Most  of  these  laborers  migrated  to  Palestine  eight 
years  ago,  and  at  that  time  their  yearly  income  was  derived  as 
follows : 


JOSEPH  SMITH  141 


2  received  300  francs. 


1 
1 

15 
27 
21 


350 
400 
450 
500 
600 


1  received  630  francs. 

1  "   659   " 

2  "   700   " 
7   "   720   " 
2   "   900   " 


Ten,  also,  had  from  three  hundred  to  one  thousand  francs  in 
cash.  Five  were  owners  of  real  estate.  The  number  of  the 
colonists  [other  than  laborers]  in  this  settlement  is  sixty-two, 
and  all  of  these  have  families.  The  monthly  aid  received  by 
each  person  from  the  administration  of  Baron  Edmund  de  Roths- 
child is  twelve  francs  per  head;  those  who  bring  their  grapes  to 
the  wine  distillery  receive  fourteen  francs  per  person.  The  vin- 
tage of  Sichron  Jacob  for  1894  yielded 

Indian  grapes 10,797  kilograms. 

Arabian  grapes,  white 169,278  kilograms. 

Arabian  grapes,  black 23,948  kilograms. 

Various , . . .   .  40,540  kilograms. 

234,558  kilograms. 

"These  grapes  yielded  138,000  liters  of  wine.  The  average 
harvest  of  each  colonist  was  8,000  kilograms  of  grapes,  and  there 
were  some  who  brought  20,000  kilograms  to  the  distillery.  The 
wine  is  sold  at  three  francs  per  ten  liters. 

"The  school  of  one  hundred  pupils  has  five  classes. 

"There  are  nineteen  persons  in  the  colony  of  Em  al  Gamel, 
and  in  Shavj  eighteen  are  to  be  found.  The  aid  they  receive 
under  the  Baron's  administration  amounts  to  thirty-six  francs 
per  family. 

"Good  news  come  from  Upper  Galilee,  where  the  silk  indus- 
.  try  is  progressing  and  affords  steady  work  to  fifty  people, 
besides  giving  work  to  many  families  in  Zefath,  for  learning 
how  to  weave  is  acquired  in  a  short  time.  In  order  to  get  water- 
power  to  the  manufacturers,  two  brooks  are  going  to  be  con- 
nected. 

"The  condition  of  the  colonists  in  Meshmor  Hajarden  [the 
Watch  on  the  Jordan]  is  very  bad,  and  as  they  are  unable  to  pay 
the  Arabs  for  watching,  the  stealing  [by  the  Arabs]  goes  on  as 
before.  In  the  Gedera  [Fence]  colony,  between  Ramla  and 


142  JOSEPH  SMITH 

Jerusalem,  the  settlers  have  begun  to  produce  cognac  from  the 
grapes  and  the  prospect  is  good. 

"The  government  has  allowed  the  American  Shovj  Zion 
[Returners  to  Zion]  Society  to  colonize  its  members  in  the  Holy 
Land." 

Having  introduced  the  above  disinterested  wit- 
nesses, we  will  now  make  the  application  of  Joel's 
prophecy ;  but  before  doing  so  let  as  quote  the  text 
again  and  also  give  the  context  so  there  will  be  no 
room  for  just  complaint : 

Be  not  afraid,  ye  beasts  of  the  field:  for  the  pastures  of  the 
wilderness  do  spring,  for  the  tree  beareth  her  fruit,  the  fig-tree 
and  the  vine  do  yield  their  strength.  Be  glad  then,  ye  children 
of  Zion,  and  rejoice  in  the  Lord  your  God:  for  he  hath  given 
you  the  former  rain  moderately,  and  he  will  cause  to  come  down 
for  you  the  rain,  the  former  rain,  and  the  latter  rain  in  the  first 
month.  And  the  floors  shall  be  full  of  wheat,  and  the  fats  shall 
overflow  with  wine  and  oil.  And  I  will  restore  to  you  the  years 
that  the  locust  hath  eaten,  the  cankerworm,  and  the  caterpillar, 
and  the  palmerworm,  my  great  army  which  I  sent  among  you. 
And  ye  shall  eat  in  plenty,  and  be  satisfied,  and  praise  the  name 
of  the  Lord  your  God,  that  hath  dealt  wondrously  with  you :  and 
my  people  shall  never  be  ashamed.  And  ye  shall  know  that  I 
am  in  the  midst  of  Israel,  and  that  I  am  the  Lord  your  God,  and 
none  else:  and  my  people  shall  never  be  ashamed.  And  it  shall 
come  to  pass  afterward,  that  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  all 
flesh;  and  your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall  prophesy,  your 
old  men  shall  dream  dreams,  your  young  men  shall  see  visions. 

This  is  conclusive  proof  that  there  were  to  be 
prophets  in  the  last  days  '  'after"  Palestine  was 
restored  to  its  former  fertility. 

Some  have  suggested  that  Joel's  prophecy  was  ful- 
filled on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  that  Peter  said  so. 
We  answer,  Peter  does  not  say  it  was  all  fulfilled.  He 
simply  called  attention  to  the  Spirit  received  on  that 
occasion,  that  it  was  the  same  one  spoken  of  by  Joel. 


JOSEPH  SMITH  143 

Surely,  after  looking  a  second  time,  no  one  will  say 
that  all  of  Joel's  prophecy  was  fulfilled  on  Pentecost. 
The  land  had  not  at  that  time  become  a  desolation, 
much  later  a  restored  field  of  plenty.  No  one  will 
say  at  the  risk  of  their  reason  after  reading  closely, 
that  "all  flesh"  was  gathered  in  that  "upper  room," 
or  that  the  Spirit  of  God  was  at  that  time  poured  out 
on  all  flesh,  or  that  some  fell  asleep  during  so  inter- 
esting a  meeting  and  dreamed  dreams  and  saw  vis- 
ions. That  that  same  Spirit  spoken  of  by  Joel  which 
would  cause  them  to  prophesy,  was  then  given,  was 
Peter's  meaning.  He  himself  quotes  it:  "It  shall 
come  to  pass  in  the  last  days,"  etc.  So  we  think,  and 
when  considered  with  the  history  of  Palestine,  it  fur- 
nishes proof  that  there  would  be  prophets  in  our  time. 
A  case  of  Bible  versus  popular  opinions. 

The  Savior,  when  in  dispute  with  his  Satanic 
Majesty,  said:  "Man  shall  not  live  by  bread  alone, 
but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth 
of  God."  By  this  we  plainly  see  that  life  is  depend- 
ent upon  bread,  both  earthly  and  heavenly.  As 
natural  life  is  sustained  by  the  bread  of  earth,  so 
spiritual  life  is  sustained  by  the  bread  of  heaven— 
his  word  by  direct  revelation,  and  not  merely  the 
history  of  his  word.  To  read  the  history  of  some 
great  feast  would  not  satisfy  our  appetites,  neither 
will  our  souls  be  filled  to  read  of  some  spiritual  feast 
of  which  there  is  a  record  in  the  Bible.  Natural  life 
is  not  sustained  now  by  the  food  given  and  digested 
nineteen  hundred  years  ago,  neither  is  spiritual  life 
sustained  to-day  by  the  bread  of  heaven  given  then. 


144  JOSEPH  SMITH 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  LATTER-DAY  DISPENSATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL—JOSEPH  SMITH 
CALLED  TO  INTRODUCE  IT  —  RESTITUTION  IN  LAST  DAYS  — 
ELIJAH  TO  COME  AGAIN  AS  A  PREPARER  FOR  CHRIST'S  SEC- 
OND APPEARING  —  JOSEPH  SMITH  ORDAINED  BY  JOHN  THE 
BAPTIST- -EARLY  METHODISTS  LOOKED  FOR  JOHN  THE  BAP- 
TIST TO  COME— TESTIMONY  OF  NEW  YORK  SCHOOL-TEACHER 
—ORSON  HYDE'S  PRAYER  ON  MOUNT  OLIVET,  OCTOBER, 
1841— AN  ENSIGN  TO  BE  SET  UP  FOR  THE  NATIONS  IN  THE 
LAST  DAYS — ENSIGN  TO  BE  ERECTED  ON  AMERICA — STEAM- 
CARS  AND  STEAMBOATS  A  SIGN— ENSIGN  TO  BE  ERECTED  JUST 
BEFORE  THE  HARVEST  OF  THE  WORLD— DANIEL  PREDICTS  A 
LATTER-DAY  KINGDOM  OF  GOD— A  "MARVELOUS  WORK" 
JUST  PREVIOUS  TO  THE  RESTORATION  OF  PALESTINE  —  AN 
ANGEL  TO  VISIT  THE  EARTH  IN  THE  LAST  DAYS— SUMMARY 
—WHAT  THE  LORD  SAID  IN  1830— CONCLUSIONS— AN  ADDED 
THOUGHT— JOSEPH  SMITH'S  PERSECUTORS— OUR  DECISION. 

HAVING  noticed  so  many  objections,  thought  by 
some  to  be  biblical,  and  having  shown  that  most  of 
them  are  in  favor  of  present  revelation  and  the  others 
not  against  that  idea  in  the  least,  let  us  see  what  the 
Bible  says  of  a  latter-day  dispensation  —  a  work 
Joseph  Smith  was  chosen  to  begin. 

Many  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  dispensation 
introduced  by  Jesus  was  the  last,  but  Paul  speaks 
of  a  ' 'dispensation  of  the  fullness  of  times"  yet  to 
come  after  his  day  in  the  following  language:  "That 
in  the  dispensation  of  the  fullness  of  times  he  might 
gather  together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which 
are  in  heaven  and  which  are  on  earth;  even  in  him." 
— Ephesians  1 : 10. 


JOSEPH   SMITH  145 

The  dispensation  here  referred  to  certainly  was  not 
the  dispensation  of  nineteen  hundred  years  ago,  for 
that  was  a  scattering,  especially  to  the  Jews,  nor  was 
it  the  fullness  of  times,  that  is,  when  all  times  should 
be  full.  At  this  time  there  was  to  be  another  dispen- 
sation when  all  things  in  Christ  would  be  gathered 
together  in  one,  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth. 

Paul  was  writing  of  a  time  in  the  future  from  that 
day.  It  was  clearly  to  be  very  near  the  end  of  the 
world,  for  the  expression,  "fullness  of  times,"  could 
mean  nothing  else.  Already,  as  we  have  shown, 
Israel  is  gathering  to  their  long-forsaken  home.  The 
signs  of  the  times  indicate  that  we  are  in  the  last 
days.  Sooner  or  later  Jesus  will  come  with  all  the 
saints  with  him  and  with  them  will  be  gathered  his 
saints  on  earth,  a  great  reunion,  the  reunion  of  all 
time,  the  whole  family  both  in  heaven  arid  in  earth 
gathered  in  one,  even  in  Him.  As  a  commencement 
of  that  time  there  was  to  be  a  dispensation  to  man — a 
restoration  of  all  things  spoken  by  the  prophets. 
Only  Latter  Day  Saints  claim  a  latter-day  dispensa- 
tion and  restoration  of  the  church  of  God.  Not  a 
reformation,  but  a  complete  restoration  of  the  ancient 
church  of  Jesus  Christ  with  the  same  officers,  the 
same  doctrine,  and  the  same  gifts  of  God  following. 
It  is  useless  to  look  elsewhere,  for  they  only,  make 
the  claim  and  stand  ready  to  support  it  by  the  facts. 

Another  text  quite  like  this  one  is  in  Acts  3:  20,  21, 
and  reads  as  follows:  "And  he  shall  send  Jesus 
Christ,  which  before  was  preached  unto  you :  whom 
the  heavens  must  receive  until  the  times  of  restitution 
of  all  things,  which  God  hath  spoken  by  the  mouth 
of  all  his  holy  prophets  since  the  world  began." 


146  JOSEPH  J4MITH 

What  is  this  "restitution"?  Evidently  the  gather- 
ing together,  spoken  of  by  Paul,  above  referred  to. 
And  when  is  it  to  occur?  About  the  time  Jesus  will 
end  his  stay  in  heaven  as  stated  above.  The  heavens 
must  retain  him  until  those*  times.  The  reader  will  take 
notice  that  it  is  "times" — in  the  plural.  The  restitu- 
tion evidently  includes  the  restoration  of  the  gospel 
in  its  first  purity,  the  authority  from  God  necessary 
to  administer  his  law,  and  "all  things"  spoken  by  the 
prophets  concerning  this  matter. 

We  propose  now  to  examine  some  of  these  things 
which  the  prophets  have  spoken.  We  call  attention 
first  to  Malaohi  3:  1-4,  which  reads  as  follows: 

Behold,  I  will  send  my  messenger,  and  he  shall  prepare  the 
way  before  me:  and  the  Lord,  whom  ye  seek,  shall  suddenly 
come  to  his  temple,  even  the  messenger  of  the  covenant,  whom 
ye  delight  in:  behold,  he  shall  come,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts. 
.But  who  may  abide  the  day  of  his  coming?  and  who  shall  stand 
when  he  appeareth?  for  he  is  like  a  refiner's  fire,  and  like  ful- 
ler's soap:  and  he  shall  sit  as  a  refiner  and  purifier  of  silver: 
and  he  shall  purify  the  sons  of  Levi,  and  purge  them  as  gold 
and  silver,  that  they  may  offer  unto  the  Lord  an  offering  in 
righteousness.  Then  shall  the  offering  of  Judah  and  Jerusalem 
be  pleasant  unto  the  Lord  as  in  the  days  of  old,  and  as  in  former 
years. 

The  coming  of  the  Lord  here  spoken  of  certainly 
was  not  his  first  coming,  for  he  did  not  come  sud- 
denly to  his  temple,  nor  did  any  one  have  any  diffi- 
culty to  stand  when  he  then  appeared,  neither  did  he 
come  as  a  judge  or  a  refiner.  Neither  did  Judah 
bring  forth  a  pleasant  offering,  nor  did  he  purify  the 
sons  of  Levi.  Every  expression  in  this  text  shows 
that  it  was  the  second  coming  of  the  Messiah  that  is 
referred  to  and  not  the  first,  and  that  the  Lord's 


JOSEPH  SMITH  14-1 

messenger  was  to  prepare  the  way  before  him  at  that 
time.  It  will  not  do  for  Bible  believers  to  think  that 
no  more  angels  are  to  visit  the  earth,  for  here  is  con- 
clusive proof  that  the  messenger  of  the  Lord  was  to 
come  in  our  day  and  prepare  the  way  before  him.  In 
order  that  we  may  fully  understand  this  text  and  its 
full  scope,  the  Lord  inspired  this  same  prophet  a  few 
verses  after  to  speak  again  of  this  same  matter  in  the 
following  language: 

Behold,  I  will  send  you  Elijah  the  prophet  before  the  coming 
of  the  great  and  dreadful  day  of  the  Lord :  and  he  shall  turn  the 
heart  of  the  fathers  to  the  children,  and  the  heart  of  the  chil- 
dren to  their  fathers,  lest  I  come  and  smite  the  earth  with  a 
curse. — Malachi  4:5. 

The  expressions,  "great  and  dreadful  day  of  the 
Lord,"  and  "lest  I  come  and  smite  the  earth,"  indi- 
cate, like  the  verse  before  quoted,  that  the  second 
coming  of  the  Lord  is  the  one  spoken  of.  That  we 
might  not  be  mistaken,  and  deceive  ourselves  by 
thinking  that  some  man  in  the  last  day  might  be  the 
Elijah,  let  us  see  who  Jesus  said  he  was: 

Elias  [or  Elijah — one  is  Greek,  the  other  Hebrew]  truly  shall 
first  come,  and  restore  all  things.  But  I  say  unto  you,  Elias  is 
come  already,  and  they  knew  him  not,  but  have  done  unto  him 
whatsoever  they  listebh.  Likewise  shall  also  the  Son  of  man 
suffer  of  them.  Then  the  disciples  understood  that  he  spake 
unto  them  of  John  the  Baptist. — Matthew  17:  11-13. 

Jesus  says  "Elias  truly  shall  first  come,"  and  then 
again  "Elias  is  come  already."  This  is  conclusive 
proof  that  there  was  to  be  a  second  appearing  of 
Elias  or  John  the  Baptist,  for  it  was  he  of  whom 
Jesus  spake.  It  is  therefore  clear  that  as  a  preparer 
of  the  way  before  the  Lord — the  messenger  before 
him — he  was  to  precede  both  the  first  and  second 


148  JOSEPH   SMITH 

coming  of  the  Messiah.  Those  texts  in  Malaohi  refer 
to  his  second  visit;  when  he  shall  go  before  the  Lord 
in  that  dreadful  day  when  he  comes  as  a  refiner  and 
a  purifier  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not 
God.  Certainly  John  did  not  do  nineteen  hundred 
years  ago  all  that  was  appointed  of  him  to  do.  Do 
not  make  the  mistake,  then,  of  thinking  that  John 
Alexander  Dowie  or  any  other  man  is  Elijah,  for  the 
disciples  understood  that  John  the  Baptist  was  he, 
and  the  texts  above  referred  to  sufficiently  make  that 
matter  clear.  To  make  the  subject  more  plain  let  us 
set  out  the  points  in  paragraph  each : 

1.  Elias  was  to  come. 

2.  John  the  Baptist  was  the  Elias. 

3.  Jesus  said  he  "is  come  already  "(present  tense). 

4.  And  he  "shall  first  come"  (future  tense). 

5.  He  was  to  precede  the  time  when  the  Lord  comes 
"suddenly  to  his  temple." 

6.  He  is  to  precede  that  "great  and  dreadful  day  of 
the  Lord." 

7.  As  a  messenger  he  is  to  precede  the  Lord's  sec- 
ond coming. 

8.  As  a  preparer  of  the  way  he  must  also  precede 
the  time  when  Messiah  comes  as  a  refiner  and  puri- 
fier. 

9.  John  did  not  do  anciently  all  that  was  prophesied 
of  him. 

Now  I  think  we  have  the  case  fairly  stated,  but 
most  people  are  so  set  against  anything  miraculous 
now  that  they  call  superstitious  or  fanatical  or  behind 
the  times  one  who  dares  to  believe  that  God  is  greater 
than  man — can  do  more  than  man,  that  he  would 
send  an  angel  now.  The  early  Methodists,  however, 


JOSEPH   SMITH  149 

believed  in  a  living  God  and  looked  for  a  prophet  to 
come,  and  that  prophet,  John  the  Baptist.  Let  us 
here  copy  a  song  by  Charles  Wesley : 

Once  he  in  the  Baptist  came, 

And  virtue's  paths  restored  j 
Pointed  sinners  to  the  Lamb; 

Forerunner  of  the  Lord. 
Sent  again  from  paradise, 

Elijah  shall  the  tidings  bring 
Jesus  comes;  ye  saints  arise, 

And  meet  your  heavenly  King 
Previous  to  that  dreadful  day 

Which  shall  thy  foes  consume, 
Jesus  prepare  thy  way; 

Let  the  last  prophet  come. 

Some  one  may  ask,  "Do  you  claim  that  Joseph 
Smith  was  the  Elias  come  again?"  Not  at  all.  We 
have  already  shown  that  John  the  Baptist,  who  was 
the  Elias,  was  himself  to  come.  Why  then  do  we 
refer  to  these  texts  when  considering  the  life  of 
Joseph  Smith?  Simply  this:  he  was  ordained  under 
the  hands  of  John  the  Baptist  on  the  fifteenth  day  of 
May,  1829,  and  commissioned,  directed,  and  appointed 
to  do  the  work  spoken  of  in  these  texts.  Will  the 
Methodists  now  accept  the  work  of  John  the  Baptist 
"sent  again  from  paradise"?  Will  they  hear  the  last 
prophet?  Surely  Joseph  Smith's  claims  are  in  har- 
mony with  the  Bible  and  as  every  dispensation  of 
God  has  been  by  men  commissioned  by  an  angel,  so 
we  might  expect  this  the  dispensation  of  the  fullness 
of  times  also  to  be  as  in  former  times,  however  much 
people  may  object.  God's  work  in  every  age  is  alike. 
If  the  world  will  not  receive  it,  it  is  none  the  less  true. 
John  certainly  was  to  come  in  our  day  and  all  the 


150  JOSEPH  SMITH 

catechisms  and  all  the  disciplines  in  the  hands  of  all 
the  clergymen  could  not  close  the  door  of  heaven  and 
keep  him  back.  If  people  set  their  faces  against  the 
Bible  it  is  no  fault  of  the  Lord.  Why  could  not  John 
the  Baptist  have  appeared  to  Joseph  Smith  as  Mr. 
Smith  claims?  Is  it  impossible?  All  are  compelled 
to  say  "nothing  is  impossible  with  God."  Then  if 
not,  why  not?  Simply  because  his  name  was  Smith 
does  not  matter.  If  the  angel  had  appeared  to  Jones 
or  Brown,  or  even  Black,  the  Devil  would  have  used 
the  same  means  to  slander  their  characters  as  he  has 
with  Joseph  Smith.  "Well,"  one  may  say,  "it  could 
be  true,  of  course,  but  I  don't  believe  it."  But  what 
has  one's  belief  or  disbelief  to  do  with  the  facts?  It 
is  the  facts  that  should  concern  us  and  not  what  some 
one  may  think  of  them.  Let  us  hear  the  testimony 
of  Mr.  Smith  himself  as  to  the  facts,  also  the  testi- 
timony  of  one  other  who  was  an  eye-witness: 

While  we  were  thus  employed,  praying,  and  calling  upon  the 
Lord,  a  messenger  from  heaven,  descended  in  a  cloud  of  light, 
and  having  laid,  his  hands  upon  us,  he  ordained  us,  saying  unto 
us,  "Upon  you,  my  fellow  servants,  in  the  name  of  Messiah,  I 
confer  the  priesthood  of  Aaron,  which  holds  the  keys  of  the 
ministering  of  angels,  and  of  the  gospel  of  repentance,  and  of 
baptism  by  immersion,  for  the  remission  of  sins;  and  this  shall 
never  be  taken  again  from  the  earth,  until  the  sons  of  Levi  do 
offer  again  an  offering  unto  the  Lord  in  righteousness."  He 
said  this  Aaronic  priesthood  had  not  the  power  of  laying  on  of 
hands,  for  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  that  this  should  be 
conferred  on  us  hereafter;  and  he  commanded  us  to  go  and  be 
baptized,  and  gave  us  directions  that  I  should  baptize  Oliver 
Cowdery,  and  afterward  that  he  should  baptize  me. 

Accordingly  we  went  and  were  baptized,  I  baptized  him  first, 
and  afterward  he  baptized  me,  after  which  I  laid  my  hands  upon 
his  head  and  ordained  him  to  the  Aaronic  priesthood,  and  after- 


JOSEPH  SMITH  151 

wards  he  laid  his  hands  on  me  and  ordained  me  to  the  same 
priesthood,  for  so  we  were  commanded. 

The  messenger  who  visited  us  upon  this  occasion,  and  con- 
ferred this  priesthood  upon  us,  said  that  his  name  was  John,  the 
same  that  is  called  John  the  Baptist,  in  the  New  Testament. 
...  It  was  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  May,  eighteen  hundred  and 
twenty-nine,  that  we  were  baptized  and  ordained  under  the  hand 
of  the  messenger.— History  of  the  Church,  vol.  1,  pp.  34-36. 

While  the  world  are  consoling  (?)  themselves  that 
God  no  more  sends  his  messengers  to  earth,  yet  right 
in  the  midst  of  their  loudest  boasts,  God  moves,  like 
the  light  that  shineth  in  a  dark  place  and  the  dark- 
ness comprehendeth  it  not,  and  continues  his  work  as 
in  former  times,  The  clergy  will  doubtless  continue 
to  assert  that  God  has  changed,  that  he  has  no  more 
work  for  the  angels,  that  they  are  all  mustered  out  of 
service,  every  one,  and  many  will  continue  to  believe 
it  and  never  ask  for  the  proof.  One  fact,  however, 
in  view  of  all  this,  stares  them  directly  in  the  face 
and  will  not  down:  John's  work  was  not  completed 
nineteen  hundred  years  ago.  If  he  did  not  appear  to 
Joseph  Smith,  will  the  world  be  any  more  ready  to 
accept  his  message  if  he  should  yet  come?  He  must 
come.  He  must  finish  his  mission.  He  must  prepare 
the.  way  of  the  Lord  before  his  second  coming,  if  he 
has  not  already  done  so.  But  Mr.  Smith  testifies 
that  he  has  done  so  and  commissioned  him  and 
others  to  continue  that  work  until  the  sons  of  Levi  do 
in  fact  offer  an  offering  acceptable  unto  the  Lord. 

From  the  Autumn  Leaves  of  April,  1891,  I  extract 
the  following  from  an  article  entitled  "John  the  Bap- 
tist," by  Elder  Heman  C.  Smith,  which  further 
explains  this  matter. 

Turning  to  Malachi,  who  wrote  this  prediction,  we  learn  that 


152  JOSEPH  SMITH 

the  events  to  attend  the  mission  of  this  forerunner  were  not  ful- 
filled when  John  and  Christ  were  upon  earth;  so  we  must  look 
for  a  second  appearing  of  John  to  prepare  the  way  before  him, 
ere  Christ  "shall  suddenly  come  to  his  temple,"  "sitas  a  refiner 
and  purifier  of  silver,"  purifying  "the  sons  of  Levi  [the  priest- 
hood] and  purge  them  as  gold  and  silver,  that  they  may  offer 
unto  the  Lord  an  offering  in  righteousness,"  ere  the  "offering  of 
Judah  and  Jerusalem  be  pleasant  unto  the  Lord,  as  in  the  days 
of  old,  and  as  in  former  years7';  and  ere  the  Lord  "come  near  to 
you  to  judgment."  As  he  mingled  with  the  fathers  in  turning 
their  hearts  to  the  children,  so  in  some  way  must  the  influence 
of  his  ministry  be  felt  among  the  children  in  turning  their 
hearts  to  the  fathers;  and  no  system  of  religion  having  for  its 
object  the  restoration  of  gospel  peace,  power,  and  love  is  the 
proper  one  unless  the  personal  ministry  of  John  the  Baptist  is 
connected  therewith.  .  .  . 

Thus  John  came  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elias  (Elijah)  who 
holds  the  keys,  to  point  our  fathers  to  our  day;  and  then,  after 
the  darkness  of  the  past,  came  again  to  ordain  these  men, 
Joseph  and  Oliver,  to  the  power  or  priesthood,  that  in  the  spirit 
of  Elias  they  could  call  our  minds  back  to  the  pure  gospel  prin- 
ciples received  and  enjoyed  by  our  fathers.  Thus  the  prophe- 
cies are  fulfilled,  and  the  hopes  of  the  fathers  realized  in  our 
day,  as  thousands  have  testified  and  can  testify,  to  their  great 
satisfaction  and  joy.  It  is  marvelous  in  our  eyes,  yet  true. 

Let  us  next  hear  what  Oliver  Cowdery,  a  New  York 
school-teacher,  has  to  say  of  this  same  event.  Let 
the  reader  notice  the  nature  of  these  testimonies. 
These  men  saw  with  their  eyes;  they  were  eye- 
witnesses. They  heard  with  their  ears;  they  were 
ear- witnesses.  They  felt  in  their  hearts;  they  were 
heart-witnesses.  They  felt  the  angel's  hands  upon 
their  heads  and  testified  to  what  they  knew.  There 
was  no  room  for  deception. 

The  Lord,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  and  ever  willing  to  answer  the 
consistent  prayer  of  the  humble,  after  we  had  called  upon  him  in 
a  fervent  manner,  aside  from  the  abodes  of  men,  condescended  to 


JOSEPH  SMITH  153 

manifest  to  us  his  will.  On  a  sudden,  as  from  the  midst  of  eter- 
nity, the  voice  of  the  Redeemer  spake  peace  to  us,  while  the  veil 
was  parted  and  the  angel  of  God  came  down  clothed  with  glory, 
and  delivered  the  anxiously  looked-for  message,  and  the  keys  of 
the  gospel  of  repentance!  What  joy!  what  wonder!  what 
amazement!  while  the  world  was  racked  and  distracted — while 
millions  were  groping  as  the  blind  for  the  wall,  and  while  all 
men  were  resting  upon  uncertainty,  as  a  general  mass,  our  eyes 
beheld — our  ears  heard.  As  in  the  "blaze  of  day";  yes,  more — 
above  the  glitter  of  the  May  sunbeam  which  then  shed  its  bril- 
liancy over  the  face  of  nature!  Then  his  voice,  though  mild, 
pierced  to  the  center,  and  his  words,  "I  am  thy  fellow  servant," 
dispelled  every  fear.  We  listened— we  gazed — we  admired! 
'Twas  the  voice  of  an  angel  from  glory — 'twas  a  message  from 
the  Most  High!  and  as  we  heard  we  rejoiced,  while  his  love 
enkindled  upon  our  souls,  and  we  were  wrapped  in  the  vision  of 
the  Almighty!  Where  was  room  for  doubt?  Nowhere:  uncer- 
tainty had  fled,  doubt  had  sunk,  no  more  to  rise,  while  fiction 
and  deception  had  fled  for  ever! 

But,  dear  brother,  think,  further  think  for  a  moment,  what  joy 
filled  our  hearts  and  with  what  surprise  we  must  have  bowed, 
(for  who  would  not  have  bowed  the  knee  for  such  a  blessing?) 
when  we  received  under  his  hand  the  holy  priesthood,  as  he  said, 
"Upon  you  my  fellow  servants,  in  the  name  of  the  Messiah,  I 
confer  this  priesthood  and  this  authority,  which  shall  remain 
upon  the  earth,  that  the  sons  of  Levi  may  yet  offer  an  offering 
unto  the  Lord  in  righteousness." — History  of  the  Church,  vol.  1, 
pp.  37,  38. 

The  men  who  bore  this  testimony  suffered  all  man- 
ner of  persecution,  but  to  the  last,  even  in  the  face 
of  death,  they  still  maintained  its  truthfulness.  There 
is  no  reason  why  this  testimony  should  not  be 
believed,  and  in  it  we  have  the  fulfillment  of  Mala- 
chi's  prophecy  concerning  the  messenger  John,  the 
forerunner  of  the  Lord,  the  preparer  of  his  way. 

Another  passage  of  scripture  indicating  and  point- 
ing out  a  young  man  in  the  last  day  who  was  to  be 
directed  by  an  angel  is  found  in  Zechariah  2 :  2-4 : 


154  -JOSEPH  SMITH 

Then  said  I,  Whither  goest  thou?  And  he  said  unto  me,  To 
measure  Jerusalem,  to  see  what  is  the  breadth  thereof,  and  what 
is  the  length  thereof.  And,  behold,  the  angel  that  talked  with 
me  went  forth,  and  another  angel  went  out  to  meet  him,  and 
said  unto  him,  Run,  speak  to  this  young  man,  saying,  Jerusalem 
shall  be  inhabited  as  towns  without  walls  for  the  multitude  of 
men  and  cattle  therein. 

Several  times  Jerusalem  has  been  rebuilt  and 
inhabited,  but  not  until  since  1853  has  it  been  inhab- 
ited "without  walls."  This  of  itself  locates  the  ful- 
fillment of  the  prophecy  in  our  time,  and  it  will  be 
noticed  that  the  prophet  saw  that  a  young  man  was 
to  make  the  proclamation  because  of  instructions 
from  an  angel. 

Joseph  Smith  was  so  informed  by  an  angel  and  did 
so  proclaim  when  only  a  youth,  besides  he  afterwards 
sent  one  of  the  elders  of  the  church  to  Palestine  to 
bless  the  land  and  pray  the  Lord  to  remove  the  curse. 

Following  is  the  instruction  of  the  angel  to  the 
young  man,  Joseph  Smith: 

While  I  was  thus  in  the  act  of  calling  upon  God  I  discovered 
a  light  appearing  in  the  room,  which  continued  to  increase  until 
the  room  was  lighter  than  at  noonday,  when  immediately  a  per- 
sonage appeared  at  my  bedside  standing  in  the  air,  for  his  feet 
did  not  touch  the  floor.  He  had  on  a  loose  robe  of  most  exquisite 
whiteness.  It  was  a  whiteness  beyond  anything  earthly  I  had 
ever  seen ;  nor  do  I  believe  that  any  earthly  thing  could  be  made 
to  appear  so  exceeding  white  and  brilliant;  his  hands  were 
naked,  and  his  arms  also  a  little  above  the  wrist.  So  also  were 
his  feet  naked,  as  were  his  legs  a  little  above  the  ankles.  His 
head  and  neck  were  also  bare.  I  could  discover  that  he  had  no 
other  clothing  but  this  robe,  as  it  was  open  so  that  I  could  see 
into  his  bosom.  Not  only  was  his  robe  exceedingly  white,  but 
his  whole  person  was  glorious  beyond  description,  and  his  coun- 
tenance truly  like  lightning.  The  room  was  exceeding  light, 
but  not  so  very  light  as  immediately  around  his  person.  When 


JOSEPH  SMITH  155 

I  first  looked  upon  him  I  was  afraid,  but  the  fear  soon  left  me. 
He  called  me  by  name,  and  said  unto  me  that  he  was  a  messen- 
ger sent  from  the  presence  of  God  to  me,  and  that  his  name  was 
Nephi.  That  God  had  a  work  for  me  to  do,  and  that  my  name 
should  be  had  for  good  and  evil,  among  all  nations,  kindreds, 
and  tongues;  or  that  it  should  be  both  good  and  evil  spoken  of 
among  all  people.  .  .  .  After  telling  me  these  things,  he  com- 
menced quoting  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament.  He  first 
quoted  part  of  the  third  chapter  of  Malachi ;  and  he  quoted  also 
the  fourth  or  last  chapter  of  the  same  prophecy.  .  .  .In  addi- 
tion to  these  he  quoted  the  eleventh  chapter  of  Isaiah,  saying 
that  it  was  about  to  be  fulfilled.  He  quoted  also  the  third  chap- 
ter of  Acts,  twenty- second  and  twenty-third  verses,  precisely  as 
they  stand  in  our  New  Testament.  He  said  that  that  prophet 
was  Christ,  but  the  day  had  not  yet  come  when  "they  who  would 
not  hear  his  voice  should  be  cut  off  from  among  the  people,"  but 
soon  would  come. 

He  also  quoted  the  second  chapter  of  Joel  from  the  twenty- 
eighth  to  the  last  verse.  He  also  said  this  was  not  yet  fulfilled, 
but  soon  would  be.  And  he  further  stated  that  the  fullness  of 
the  Gentiles  was  soon  to  come  in.— History  of  the  Church,  vol.  1, 
pp.  12-14. 

The  reader  will  notice,  if  he  will  take  the  Bible  and 
read  the  above  references,  that  they  plainly  refer  to 
the  rebuilding  of  Jerusalem  and  its  deliverance  from 
Gentile  oppression.  The  above  communication  was 
delivered  September  21,  1832.  Let  the  reader  search 
the  history  of  events  at  that  time  and  see  if  there 
were  any  signs  of  that  land  becoming  fruitful  or  the 
Jews  returning  to  abide  there  and  serve  their  God. 
Search  again  and  see  that  there  was  a  Turkish  law 
at  that  time  making  it  a  crime  for  anyone  to  embrace 
the  faith  of  the  Bible — anything  in  fact  but  Moham- 
medanism. In  1844,  the  very  year  Joseph  Smith  was 
killed,  the  combined  forces  of  Europe  compelled  the 
Turk  to  revoke  that  law,  and,  a  few  years  after,  the 


156  JOSEPH  SMITH 

former  and  latter  rain  was  restored,  as  we  noticed  in 
a  previous  chapter,  and  these  promises  of  Joseph 
Smith  as  he  told  what  the  angel  said  began  to  be  ful- 
filled. Let  the  reader  answer  whether  he  was  cor- 
rectly informed  by  a  true  angel  and  be  convinced 
that  the  work  of  Joseph  Smith  is  in  harmony  with 
Zechariah's  prophecy. 

Three  years  previous  to  the  annulling  of  that  Turk- 
ish law,  Joseph  Smith  and  the  General  Conference  of 
the  Church  appointed  Orson  Hyde,  one  of  the  elders 
of  the  Church,  to  visit  the  land  of  Palestine  and  bless 
it  in  the  name  of  the  Almighty  so  that  the  former  and 
latter  rain  might  again  come  upon  it,  that  it  might 
yield  again  as  in  former  years  and  that  the  Jews 
might  again  be  gathered  home  and  their  cities  and 
towns  be  again  rebuilt.  He  arrived  in  due  time  and 
on  Mount  Olivet  on  the  24th  of  October,  1841,  he 
wrote  the  following  prayer : 

Now,  O  Lord  thy  servant  has  been  obedient  to  the  heavenly 
vision  which  thou  gavest  him  in  his  native  land;  and  under  the 
shadow  of  thine  outstretched  arm,  he  has  safely  arrived  in  this 
place  to  dedicate  and  consecrate  this  land  unto  thee,  for  the 
gathering  together  of  Judah's  scattered  remnants,  according  to 
the  predictions  of  the  holy  prophets — for  the  building  up  of 
Jerusalem  again  after  it  has  been  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles 
so  long,  and  for  rearing  a  temple  to  the  honor  of  thy  name. 
Everlasting  thanks  be  ascribed  unto  thee,  O  Father!  Lord  of 
heaven  and  earth,  that  thou  hast  preserved  thy  servant  from 
dangers  of  the  seas,  and  from  the  plagues  and  pestilence  which 
have  caused  the  land  to  mourn.  .  .  .  O,  thou,  who  didst  cove- 
nant with  Abraham,  thy  friend,  and  who  didst  renew  that  cove- 
nant with  Isaac,  and  confirm  the  same  with  Jacob  with  an  oath, 
that  thou  wouldst  not  only  give  them  this  land  for  an  everlast- 
ing inheritance,  but  that  thou  wouldst  also  remember  their  seed 
for  ever.  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  have  long  since  closed  their 
eyes  in  death,  and  made  the  grave  their  mansion.  Their  chil- 


JOSEPH  SMITH  157 

dren  are  scattered  and  dispersed  abroad  among  the  nations  of 
the  Gentiles  like  sheep  that  have  no  shepherd,  and  are  still  look- 
ing forward  for  the  fulfillment  of  those  promises  which  thou 
didst  make  concerning  them;  and  even  this  land,  which  once 
poured  forth  nature's  richest  bounty,  and  flowed,  as  it  were,  with 
milk  and  honey,  has,  to  a  certain  extent,  been  smitten  with  bar- 
renness and  sterility  since  it  drank  from  murderous  hands  the 
blood  of  him  who  never  sinned. 

Grant,  therefore,  O  Lord,  in  the  name  of  thy  well-beloved 
Son,  Jesus  Christ,  to  remove  the  barrenness  and  sterility  of  the 
land,  and  let  springs  of  living  water  -break  forth  to  water  its 
thirsty  soil.  Let  the  vine  and  the  olive  produce  in  their  strength 
and  the  fig-tree  bloom  and  flourish.  Let  the  land  become  abun- 
dantly fruitful  when  possessed  by  its  rightful  heirs;  let  it  again 
flow  with  plenty  to  feed  the  returning  prodigals  who  come  with 
a  spirit  of  grace  and  supplication ;  upon  it  let  the  clouds  distill 
virtue  and  richness,  and  let  the  fields  smile  with  plenty.  Let 
the  herds  and  the  flocks  greatly  increase  and  multiply  upon  the 
mountains  and  the  hills;  and  let  thy  great  kindness  conquer  and 
subdue  the  unbelief  of  the  people.  Do  thou  take  from  them 
their  stony  heart,  and  give  them  a  heart  of  flesh,  and  may  the 
Sun  of  thy  favor  dispel  the  cold  mists  of  darkness  which  have 
beclouded  their  atmosphere.  Incline  them  to  gather  in  upon 
this  land  according  to  thy  word.  Let  them  come  like  clouds 
and  like  doves  to  their  windows.  Let  the  large  ships  of  the 
nations  bring  them  from  the  distant  isles;  and  let  kings  become 
their  nursing  fathers  and  queens,  with  their  motherly  fondness, 
wipe  the  tear  of  sorrow  from  their  eye. 

Thou,  O  Lord,  didst  once  move  upon  the  heart  of  Cyrus  to 
show  favor  unto  Jerusalem  and  her  children .  Do  thou  now  also 
be  pleased  to  inspire  the  hearts  of  kings  and  the  powers  of  the 
earth  to  look  with  a  friendly  eye  towards  this  place,  and  with  a 
desire  to  see  thy  righteous  purposes  executed  in  relation  thereto. 
Let  them  know  that  it  is  thy  good  pleasure  to  restore  the  king- 
dom unto  Israel — raise  up  Jerusalem  as  its  capital. — Autumn 
Leaves,  vol.  1,  pp.  50,  51. 

People  may  think  as  they  may  of  this  prayer,  but 
if  one  will  only  open  his  eyes  and  look,  he  can  not 
but  see.  that  God  harkened  to  it  in  more  points  ihan 


158  JOSEPH  SMITH 

one.  Mr.  Hyde  was  shown  in  vision  before  leaving 
America  that  the  Lord  had  chosen  him  for  the  pur- 
pose of  dedicating  anew  the  Holy  Land.  Then  why 
should  not  he  hear?  Let  the  thousands  of  Israel  now 
safely  located  on  their  fatherland  answer  whether 
Joseph  Smith  was  a  true  prophet  when  he  proclaimed 
in  1823  that  that  was  soon  to  be  their  privilege.  Let 
the  reader  answer  whether  the  angel  that  so  informed 
him  was  a  real  angel  or  a  deceiver.  Let  the  reader 
answer  how  much  deception  Mr.  Smith  practiced  in 
that  matter.  If  a  deception,  what  an  awful  one,  for 
he  deceived  the  rain-clouds,  deceived  the  nations, 
deceived  the  Jews,  and  even  climbed  the  gateway  to 
heaven,  and  deceived  the  Lord!  Reader,  are  you 
willing  to  believe  he  did  all  that?  If  not,  what  will 
you  do  with  the  foregoing  facts? 

In  harmony  with  the  latter-day  dispensation,  the 
restoration  spoken  of  by  all  the  holy  prophets,  the 
forerunner,  Elijah,  on  his  second  mission,  the  young 
prophet  to  proclaim  the  rebuilding  of  Jerusalem, 
already  noticed,  there  are  several  more,  one  of  which 
is  found  in  Isaiah  11:11,  12.  This  was  also  quoted 
by  the  angel  to  Joseph  Smith  and  he  was  told  that  it 
was  soon  to  be  fulfilled  : 

And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  the  Lord  shall  set 
his  hand  again  the  second  time  to  recover  the  remnant  of  his 
people,  which  shall  be  left,  from  Assyria,  and  from  Egypt,  and 
from  Pathros,  and  from  Gush,  and  from  Elam,  and  from  Shinar, 
and  from  Hamath,  and  from  the  islands  of  the  sea.  And  he 
for  the  nations,  and  shall  assemble  the 


outcasts  of  Israel,  and  gather  together  the  dispersed  of  Judah 
from  the  four  corners  of  the  earth. 

In  the  days  of  Cyrus,  several  hundred  years  before 
Christ,  the  Lord  set  his  hand  the  first  time  and  gath- 


JOSEPH  SMITH  159 

ered  Israel  back  from  the  Babylonian  captivity — from 
one  country  only.  They  remained  in  their  home  land 
until  they  were  carried  away  captive  beginning  about 
72  A.  D.,  and  have  remained  as  wanderers  and  aliens 
in  all  the  world  until  the  nineteenth  century. 
Recently  the  Lord  has  set  his  hand  the  second  time, 
as  stated  in  this  text,  and  is  now  gathering  the  Jews 
from  every  quarter.  Having  discovered  the  time 
when  this  event  was  to  occur,  let  us  notice  what  else 
was  to  be  done  for  the  nations.  It  is  indicated  in 
these  words,  "And  he  shall  set  up  an  ensign  for  the 
nations."  This  ensign  could  have  reference  to  no 
other  thing  than  his  kingdom — his  church,  and  it  was 
to  be  set  up  among  the  Gentile  nations  where  the 
children  of  Israel  had  been  as  wanderers  and  outcasts. 
The  words  set  up  evidently  mean  to  begin.  This 
harmonizes  nicely  with  the  "restoration"  spoken  of. 
By  these  texts  we  think  it  is  clearly  shown  that  the 
church  of  God  was  to  be  commenced  anew,  organized 
again,  reestablished,  or  restored.  This  is  the  kind  of 
work  Joseph  Smith  did  and  he  was  divinely  appointed 
to  do  it.  None  of  the  reformers  did  that  kind  of  work. 
They  tried  to  reform  the  old  church.  Joseph  Smith 
restored  the  old  one  after  the  ancient  order.  No 
wonder  that  the  evil  one  should  grow  suddenly  and 
violently  angry,  and  no  wonder  that  many  of  those 
who  follow  the  reformers  join  hands  with  him,  to  per- 
secute and  vilify  the  Latter  Day  Saints. 

Very  many  are  honest  and  extremely  earnest  in 
what  they  do.  But  they  may  be  ever  so  earnest  and 
ever  so  honest  in  a  wrong  cause.  We  are  curious  to 
know  how  these  scriptures  can  be  made  to  harmonize 


160  JOSEPH  SMITH 

with  the  Reformation.  The  words  set  up  do  not  in 
any  sense  mean  to  reform  or  remodel. 

Some  of  those  who  accept  the  work  of  the  Reform- 
ers, recognizing  their  lack  of  direct  authority  from 
God  to  organize,  have  tried  to  make  it  appear  that  an 
organization  is  not  necessary  and  even  go  further  and 
declare  that  no  organization  was  effected  in  Jesus' 
day.  Those,  however,  who  read  properly  must  have 
seen  where  Jesus  said,  "I  will  build  my  church." 
Now  either  Jesus  did  or  did  not  build  a  church.  If 
he  did  then  this  objection  is  groundless;  and  if  he 
did  not  then  he  made  a  false  promise,  and  in  that 
case  was  not  the  Son  of  God,  and  therefore  Chris- 
tianity is  a  myth,  and  if  a  myth  then  our  objector  is 
at  sea  again.  In  either  case  he  has  no  foundation. 
Noticing  this  objection  a  little  further  we  call  atten- 
tion to  Matthew  18 : 15-17 : 

Moreover  if  thy  brother  shall  trespass  against  thee,  go  and 
tell  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone :  if  he  shall  hear 
thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy  brother.  But  if  he  will  not  hear  thee, 
then  take  with  thee  one  or  two  more,  that  in  the  mouth  of  two  or 
three  witnesses  every  word  may  be  established.  And  if  he  shall 
neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto  the  church :  but  if  he  neglect 
to  hear  the  church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen  man  and  a 
publican. 

Will  the  objector  please  tell  how  a  matter  could  be 
told  unto  the  church  if  there  was  no  church?  And 
how  transgressors  could  refuse  to  hear  the  church  if 
it  could  not  act  in  such  matters?  This  text  shows 
most  clearly  that  there  was  a  church  in  Jesus'  day 
and  that  it  had  organized  form — that  it  was  capable 
of  acting  on  matters  coming  before  the  body.  To 
,  settle  this  point  completely,  in  the  minds  of  those  who 
think  with  our  objector,  we  will  refer  to  one  more 


JOSEPH  SMITH  161 

passage  as  recorded  in  1  Corinthians  12:  28:  "And 
God  hath  set  some  in  the  church,  first  apostles,  sec- 
ondarily prophets,  thirdly  teachers,  after  that  mira- 
cles, then  gifts  of  healings,  helps,  governments, 
diversities  of  tongues." 

From  this  it  is  clear  that  there  was  a  church  when 
apostles  and  other  officers  were  placed  in  it.  Having 
noticed  then  that  there  was  a  church  in  Jesus'  day, 
and  that  it  must  have  been  an  organization,  we  still 
think  that  God's  effort  among  men  to  save  them,  no 
matter  by  what  name  it  was  called,  whether  church, 
kingdom,  body,  household,  or  ensign,  is  an  organiza- 
tion. The  ensign,  therefore,  referred  to  in  the  text 
where  it  says,  God  will  set  his  hand  the  second  time 
to  gather  Israel  and  set  up  an  "ensign,"  is  his  church. 
The  words  set  up  mean  evidently  to  establish — to 
organize. 

We  have  shown  that  the  Jews  began  to  gather  to 
their  home  land  immediately  after  the  restoration  of 
the  former  and  latter  rain,  or  since  1853.  In  the  days 
of  Ezra  they  were  gathered  back  the  first  time; 
to-day  they  are  being  gathered  back  the  second 
time.  God  has  set  his  hand  indeed  the  second  time 
to  accomplish  that  work  and  organize  anew  his 
church  and  kingdom  on  earth. 

The  early  Methodists  believed  in  their  day  that  this 
ensign  had  not  yet  been  set  up,  when  they  used  to 
sing 

"Almighty  God  of  love 
Set  up  the  attractive  sign." 

Again  they  looked  forward  to  the  gathering  of  the 
Hebrews  to  their  home  land,  for  they  sang 


162  JOSEPH  SMITH 

f'Oh  call  the  Hebrew  home, 

From  east  and  west  and  north  and  south 
Let  all  the  wanderers  come. " 

The  work  of  Joseph  Smith  corresponds  to  all  these 
prophecies  in  time,  place,  and  condition,  and  is  espe- 
cially interwoven  with  the  Jewish  movement,  in 
gathering  to  their  own  land  and  building  up  their 
city.  It  dovetails  in  with  all  the  recent  important 
history  of  the  world,  for  God  has  been  in  both. 

But  let  us  discover  something  more  in  the  Bible 
about  this  "ensign."  In  Isaiah  5:  26-28,  we  find  the 
following.  We  italicise  a  few  words  to  call  special 
attention  to  them  lest  they  be  overlooked,  but  we 
have  no  intention  of  changing  the  meaning;  indeed, 
we  fail  to  see  how  calling  "special  attention"  could 
change  the  "meaning,"  as  some  seem  to  think: 

And  he  will  lift  up  an  ensign  fco  the  nations  from  far,  and 
will  hiss  unto  them  from  the  end  of  the  earth:  and,  behold, 
A  they  shall  come  with  speed  swiftly:  none  shall  be  weary  nor 
stumble  among  them;  none  shall  slumber  nor  sleep;  neither 
shall  the  girdle  of  their  loins  be  loosed,  nor  the  latchet  of  their 
shoes  be  broken:  whose  arrows  are  sharp,  and  all  their  bows 
bent,  their  horses'  hoofs  shall  be  counted  like  flint,  and  their 
wheels  like  a  whirlwind. 

Who  ever  heard  of  "horses  with  wheels"?  Surely 
we  all  have  in  latter  days — since  1825.  We  have  both 
seen  and  heard  the  iron  horse — the  locomotive  with 
its  wheels  indeed  like  a  whirlwind.  This  last  clause 
will  locate  the  time  when  this  prophecy  was  to  have 
its  fulfillment — when  this  "ensign"  was  to  be  "setup." 

There  are  other  points  also  in  this  text  that  will 
help  us  to  determine  the  time.  One  is,  those  who 
travel  would  do  so  with  "speed  swiftly,"  but  in  thus 
traveling  none  should  be  "weary  or  stumble  among 


JOSEPH  SMITH  163 

them."  At  this  time  when  people  could  travel  in  this 
way  on  horses  with  wheels  like  a  whirlwind  God 
would  "lift  up  an  ensign  afar  off" — "at  the  end  of 
the  earth."  This  not  only  shows  when  but  where. 
The  end  of  the  earth  would  certainly  be  at  the  farth- 
est point,  and  of  course,  going  from  Jerusalem  would 
land  us  in  America.  It  would  also  be  "from  far." 

This  text  could  not  be  applied  to  the  work  done  by 
any  of  the  reformers  in  Europe  or  those  who  try  to 
trace  their  origin  back  to  Pentecost  or  before.  For 
their  work  was  set  up  long  before  the  "horses  with 
wheels  like  a  whirlwind"  appeared,  nor  were  they 
organized  "afar  off" — at  the  end  of  the  earth,  when 
men  could  come  with  speed  swiftly.  Some  of  their 
efforts  may  have  been  at  the  end  of  the  land,  but  not 
the  end  of  the  earth. 

A  few  years  ago  the  question  was  asked  if  we  had 
a  "purely  American  church,"  and  one  of  the  leading 
daily  papers  answered  something  like  this:  "The 
only  American  church  we  know  of  is  the  one  founded 
by  Joseph  Smith."  Since  that  answer  the  papers 
could  refer  to  many  American  churches,  but  they  are 
all  too  late  to  fit  the  prophecies. 

The  following  from  the  Four- Track  News  will  be 
of  interest  in  this  connection : 

A  PAGE  FROM  THE  PAST. 

When  the  Stockton  &  Darlington  Railway,  in  England,  was 
opened  in  September,  1825,  the  main  line  and  its  three  branches 
were  thirty-eight  miles  long.  Stephenson  drove  the  engine  as 
the  first  train  started,  and  an  outrider  on  horseback  went  in 
advance  to  keep  the  track  clear. 

In  1829  three  locomotives  were  imported  to  America,  and  one 
was  tried  at  Honesdale,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  tracks  of  the 
Delaware  &  Hudson.  It  was  soon  found  that  they  were  ill- 


164  JOSEPH  SMITH 

adapted  for  use  on  American  roads,  -where  very  sharp  turns  were 
made.  Peter  Cooper,  that  same  year,  devised  an  engine  which 
overcame  this  difficulty. 

In  1830,  the  Mohawk  &  Hudson  Railroad,  running  sixteen 
miles  from  Albany  to  Schenectady,  was  opened  and  the  cars 
were  drawn  by  horses  till  the,  delivery  of  the  "De  Witt  Clinton" 
locomotive,  which  was  built  at  the  West  Point  Foundry,  New 
York.  The  first  trip  this  engine  made  was  on  August  9,  1831. . . . 

From  Schenectady,  westward,  we  may  take  our  choice  of  two 
means  of  travel,  stage-coach,  or  packet-boat  on  the  canal.  The 
commodious  "Red-bird,"  as  well  as  boats  on  several  rival  lines, 
were  plying  on  the  canal,  and  people  who  wished  to  broaden 
their  minds  by  travel  frequently  took  the  trip  from  Albany  to 
.buffalo.  In  an  old  Journal,  there  is  the  following  item  concern- 
ing the  writer's  first  trip  on  the  "big  ditch":  "Commended  my 
soul  to  God  and  asking  his  defense  from  danger,  I  stepped 
aboard  the  canal-boat  and  was  soon  flying  towards  Utica."  If 
the  dangers  of  the  raging  canal  were  too  great  to  be  braved,  an 
outside  seat  on  the  stage-coach  gave  one  an  opportunity  to  see 
the  country.  The  driver  of  the  stage,  as  well  as  the  landlord  of 
the  public,  were  persons  of  great  importance.  Stage  driving 
was  hereditary— it  went  in  families  and  descended  from  father  to 
son. 

The  journey  from  Boston  to  Providence,  a  distance  of  forty 
miles,  was  made  in  four  hours  and  fifty  minutes.  This  was  con- 
sidered the  acme  of  fast  traveling,  and  an  editorial  on  the  per- 
formance says:  "If  any  one  wishes  to  go  faster  he  may  send  to 
Kentucky  and  charter  a  streak  of  lightning!" — From  "Early 
rapid-transit  in  America,"  by  N.  Hudson  Moore,  in  Four-Track 
News  for  November,  1902. 

This  ensign  is  also  spoken  of  again  by  Isaiah  in  his 
eighteenth  chapter  and  first  three  verses  as  follows : 

Woe  to  the  land  shadowing  with  wings,  which  is  beyond  the 
rivers  of  Ethiopia:  that  sendeth  ambassadors  by  the  sea,  even 
in  vessels  of  bulrushes  upon  the  waters,  saying,  Go,  ye  swift 
messengers,  to  a  nation  scattered  and  peeled,  to  a  people  terrible 
from  their  beginning  hitherto ;  a  nation  meted  out  and  trodden 
down,  whose  land  the  rivers  have  spoiled !  All  ye  inhabitants 


JOSEPH  SMITH  165 

of  the  world,  and  dwellers  on  the  earth,  see  ye,  when  he  lifteth 
up  an  ensign  on  the  mountains;  and  when  he  bloweth  a  trumpet, 
hear  ye.  ...  For  afore  the  harvest,  when  the  bud  is  perfect, 
etc. 

First  we  notice  that  this  event  was  to  transpire, 
before  the  harvest  (Jesus  said  the  harvest  is  the  end 
of  the  world)  and  so  soon  before,  that  the  bud  was  to 
be  perfect.  Another  thought  is,  it  was  to  transpire 
at  a  time  when  ambassadors  could  go  * 'swiftly"  on 
the  water.  This  brings  us  to  a  time  later  than  the 
invention  of  steamboats,  and  even  later  than  that,  for 
it  was  not  until  1819  that  the  first  steamboat,  tlrd 
Savannah,  crossed  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  The  London 
Tim&s  of  May  18,  1819,  calls  it  a  "great  experiment." 
It  left  Savannah,  Georgia,  May  25,  1819,  and  arrived 
at  St.  Petersburg,  June  20.  It  used  steam  eighteen 
days  on  the  route.  It  was  built  by  Frances  Ficket  in 
New  York,  and  launched  August  22,  1818.  Her  first 
captain  was  Moses  Rogers,  of  New  London,  Connec- 
ticut. (A  Million  Facts,  p.  136.) 

In  the  record  of  those  times  we  find  that  Africa 
was  called  Ethiopia  with  the  exception  of  Egypt.  If, 
therefore,  there  was  a  land  beyond  Ethiopia  from 
Palestine  it  would  again  point  us  to  America,  and  the 
expression,  "shadowing  with  wings,"  may  either 
refer  to  the  physical  shape  of  the  two  Americas  or  to 
the  eagle  wings  on  the  insignia  of  our  government. 
The  expressions  all  harmonize  with  what  is  said  in 
other  places  about  the  latter-day  ensign. 

The  following  from  Elder  C.  J.  Hunt  will  be  read 
with  interest  by  those  who  desire  to  understand  the 
meaning  of  this  text : 


166  JOSEPH  SMITH 

WOE  TO  THE  LAND    SHADOWING  WITH  WINCJS. 

(Isaiah  18:  1-6.) 

The  Reverend  Doctor  R.  C.  Shimeall,  of  the  Presbytery  of 
New  York  City,  treating  upon  Isaiah  18,  on  page  305  of  his 
book,  the  "Second  Coming  of  Christ,"  says:  "This  passage, 
instead  of 'Woe  to,' etc.,  should  read,  'Ho!  the  land  of  over- 
shadowing wings,'  etc.  This  prophecy  refers  to  that  nation 
which  shall  hold  a  maritime  preeminence  over  all  others,  and 
which  can  refer  to  none  other  so  emphatically  as  toJhe  United 
States  of  America."  Reverend  Doctor  Shimeall  is  the  author 
Of  eight  or  more  literary  works,  and  is  a  very  prominent  writer 
and  historian. 

I  now  present  a  clipping  from  the  Saints9  Herald  for  Septem- 
ber 1,  1897,  which  is  of  special  worth  in  this  connection: 

"A  WORD  IN  A  FIT  PLACE. 

"A  copy  of  the  Armory,  published  at  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
by  H.  L.  Hastings,  for  August,  has  been  sent  us  by  some  friend 
of  the  cause.  In  it  is  an  article  from  Israel's  Messiah,  entitled, 
'A  refuge  for  persecuted  Jews.'  From  this  article  we  quote  the 
following: 

"  'Rabbi  Isaac  Leeser,  of  Philadelphia,  the  translator  of  the 
Hebrew  Bible,  says  that  the  prophecy  in  the  eighteenth  chapter 
of  the  Prophet  Isaiah,  "Ho!  to  the  land  with  spreading  wings, 
which  is  beyond  the  rivers  of  Gush,  that  sendeth  on  the  sea 
ambassadors,  and  in  vessels  of  gomeh  messengers  over  the  face 
of  the  waters,"  is  a  prophecy  relating  to  America.  Standing 
where  the  prophet  stood,  and  looking  "beyond  the  rivers  of 
Cush, "  or  Ethiopia,  the  first  land  we  strike  is  the  western  world. 
And  this  land, — the  very  name  of  which  was  then  unknown, — 
with  its  emblem,  the  eagle  with  "spreading  wings,"  whose 
ambassadors  are  all  sent  by  sea,  in  the  swiftest  ships,  has 
opened  to  the  sons  of  Israel  such  a  refuge  as  no  other  land 
afforded  for  seventeen  hundred  years.  Into'  this  land  the  teem- 
ing multitudes  of  earth  have  poured  at  a  rate  unexampled  in 
history ;  and  in  this  land  was  first  enunciated  the  grand  doctrine 
that  all  men  were  created  free  and  equal;  and  that  Jews  as  well 
as  Gentiles  had  "a  right  to  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  hap- 
piness." Some  other  nations  have  since  ceased  to  persecute  the 


JOSEPH  SMITH  167 

Jews,  but  the  statute  books  of  the  United  States  of  America 
have  never  been  stained  with  laws  against  the  exiled  sons  of 
Israel;  and  here  for  the  first  time  since  their  dispersion,  was  an 
asylum  opened  where  the  Jewish  wanderer  could  find  rest,  jus- 
tice, and  right.'  " 

The  following  from  the  International  Cyclopedia  will  be  of 
interest  fco  all  who  believe  that  the  Prophet  Isaiah,  in  the  above- 
named  chapter,  was  referring  to  the  time,  place,  and  work  which 
would  be  done  by  this  nation,  and  this  church  in  this  last  dis- 
pensation f 

"Ethiopia,  the  biblical  Kush.  Originally,  all  the  nations 
inhabiting  the  southern  part  of  the  globe,  as  known  to  the 
ancients;  or  rather,  all  men  of  dark  brojgtf  or  black  color,  w^re 
called  Ethiopians.  Later  this  name  was  given  more  particularly 
to  tlie^nffabitants  of  the  countries  SQu.tfr_  oj  Jjbya  (see  general 
history)  and  Egypt,  or  the  upper  Nile,  extending  from  ten  to 
twenty-five  degrees  north  longitude,  forty-five  to  fifty-eight 
degrees  east  longitude— the  present  Nubia,  Sejinaar,  Kordofan, 
Abyssinia."— The  Saints9  Herald,  vol.*49,  p.  679. 

We  wish  to  notice  what  is  meant  by  the  word  moun- 
tain in  the  above  text:  "He  lifteth  up  an  ensign  on 
the  mountain."  By  turning  to  Daniel  2:  35  we  read 
that  "the  stone  that  smote  the  image  became  a  great 
mountain  and  filled  the  whole  earth."  In  the  forty - 
fourth  verse  Daniel,  divinely  directed,  gives  the 
interpretation  of  this  word  mountain  to  mean  king- 
dom. "And  in  the  days  of  these  kings  shall  the  God 
of  heaven  set  up  a  kingdom,  which  shalL  never  be 
destroyed :  and  the  kingdom  shall  not  be  left  to  other 
people,  but  it  shall  break  in  pieces  and  consume  all 
these  kingdoms,  and  it  shall  stand  for  ever." 

Here  we  have  God's  interpretation  of  the  word 
mountain  to  mean  kingdom  or  nation,  as  all  may  see 
by  reading  the  entire  chapter.  In  that  light  in  simple 
epitomized  form  the  passage  in  .Isaiah  18: 1-4  would 
read:  "In  the  land  of  America  and  the  nation  of  the 


168  JOSEPH   SMITH 

United  States  God  would,  in  our  time,  set  up  his 
church." 

The  description  of  the  people  and  land  fits  the 
Jewish  people  and  their  land,  and  it  will  be  noticed 
that  the  swift  messengers  w'ere  to  go  to  that  people 
and  not  to  come  from  them.  Furthermore,  it  is 
shown  that  the  land  upon  which  this  ensign  was  to 
be  raised  would  be  located  beyond  Ethiopia. 

In  connection  with  this  we  refer  next  to  Isaiah  2:  2, 
which  reads:  "And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last 
days,  that  the  mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  shall  be 
established  in  the  top  of  the  mountains,  and  shall  be 
exalted  above  the  hills." 

In  other,  and  we  believe,  legitimate  words,  In  the 
last  days  the  kingdom  composing  the  house  of  God 
will  be  established  (set  up)  in  the  highest  (top)  civi- 
lized nations  (mountains)  and  shall  be  exalted  above 
the  lower  nations. 

Micah  4 :  1  contains  the  same  language.  This  was 
true  of  the  work  Joseph  Smith  established  by  the 
commandment  of  God  in  the  United  States  and  not 
only  in  the  United  States,  but  in  New  York,  the 
banner,  the  "Empire"  State  of  the  Union,  the  very 
top  of  civilization  then,  in  the  days  of  steam  cars  and 
steam  horses.  If  this  text  does  not  refer  to  a  special 
work  of  God  in  the  last  days — a  special  dispensation 
— we  are  sure  that  words  can  not  express  that 
thought. 

Having  mentioned  God's  interpretation  of  moun- 
tain in  the  above  text,  let  us  refer  again  to  Daniel 
2:28,44: 

But  there  is  a  God  in  heaven  that  revealeth  secrets,  and  mak- 
eth  known  to  the  king  Nebuchadnezzar  what  shall  be  in  the 


JOSEPH  SMITH  169 

latter  days.  .  .  .  And  in  the  days  of  these  kings  shall  the  God 
of  heaven  set  up  a  kingdom,  which  shall  never  be  destroyed  and 
the  kingdom  shall  not  .be  left  to  other  people,  but  it  shall  break 
in  pieces  and  consume  all  these  kingdoms,  and  it  shall  stand  for 
ever. 

From  the  above  we  learn  that  "in  the  latter  days" 
a  divine  kingdom  or  church  was  to  be  set  up.  This 
latter-day  kingdom  was  not  to  be  thrown  down  nor 
given  to  another  people.  It  could  not  have  reference 
to  the  primitive  church  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  some 
think,  for  that  was  thrown  down,  the  entire  flock  was 
destroyed.  (See  Acts  20:29.)  They  turned  away 
their  ears  from  the  truth.  (See  2  Timothy  4:4.) 
Only  a  little  while  was  the  light  with  them.  (See 
Saint  John  12:35.)  The  kingdom  was  taken  by 
force  with  violent  hands.  (See  Matthew  11:12.) 
Jesus  said,  "The  kingdom  of  God  shall  be  taken 
from  you,  and  given  to  a  nation  bringing  forth  the 
fruits  thereof  ."—Matthew  21 :  43. 

The  one  Daniel  here  speaks  of  shall  be  set  up 
(established)  in  the  latter  days  and  positively  was 
not  to  be  left  to  other  people.  It  could  nt>t  have  ref- 
erence to  a  kingdom  which  some  say  will  be  set  up 
when  Christ  comes  "the  second  time  without  sin  unto 
salvation,"  for  when  he  appears  then  he  is  to  "appear 
to"  his  church  and  "kingdom."  (See  2  Timothy 
4:1.)  When  the  bridegroom  comes,  half  of  his 
church  or  kingdom  will  be  foolish.  (See  Matthew 
25: 1.)  When  he  comes  there  will  be  gathered  out  of 
his  kingdom  already  existing,  all  things  that  offend. 
(See  Matthew  13:  41.)  We  would  hardly  find  offend- 
ers and  foolish  ones  in  the  kingdom  that  it  is  thought 
he  will  establish  when  he  comes.  All  of  these  expres- 
sions show  that  the  kingdom  is  to  be  here  when  he 


170  JOSEPH  SMITH 

comes.  Besides,  this  text  in  Daniel  says,  "in  the 
days  of  these  kings"  (not  after  them)  God  is  to  set 
up  his  kingdom. 

In  order  to  properly  understand  the  foregoing 
statements  of  Daniel,  it  is  necessary  to  examine  the 
twenty-ninth  to  thirty-third  verses.  But  it  would 
occupy  too  much  space  to  insert  them  here,  so  we  will 
summarize  in  our  own  language  and  get  the  gist  of 
the  matter,  leaving  the  reader  to  turn  to  his  Bible  and 
see  if  we  correctly  represent  the  points  contained 
therein.  From  the  reading  we  learn  that  Nebuchad- 
nezzar saw  in  a  dream  the  image  of  a  man  whose 
head  was  of  gold,  his  chest  of  silver,  his  sides  of 
brass,  his  legs  of  iron,  and  his  feet  and  toes  part  of 
iron  and  part  of  clay.  Daniel  was  called  in  to  inter- 
pret the  dream,  and  he  informed  the  king  that  God 
had  shown  him  what  would  be  in  the  latter  days  and 
represented  the  matter  by  a  stone  which  he  had  seen 
that  smote  the  image  on  the  feet  and  broke  it  to 
pieces.  He  further  informed  the  king  that  the  dif- 
ferent metarts  of  which  the  image  was  formed  repre- 
sented as  many  kingdoms  to  arise  after  his  time,  and 
his  as  the  head  of  gold  was  the  first.  That  the  fourth 
was  to  be  divided  into  ten  as  represented  by  the  ten 
toes.  History  informs  us,  first,  there  was  the  Baby- 
lonian kingdom,  second,  the  Medo-Persian,  third,  the 
Grecian,  fourth,  the  Roman,  and  fifth  the  ten  king- 
doms. Christ  was  born  in  the  days  of  the  fourth 
kingdom  and  well  nigh  the  beginning  of  it,  in  the 
days  of  Augustus  Caesar,  the  second  ruler  of  that 
empire,  and  organized  his  church  in  the  days  of  the 
third  ruler  who  began  his  reign  about  the  year  17 
A.  D.,  ending  it  at  37  A.  D.  By  this  we  see  that  the 


JOSEPH  SMITH  171 

primitive  church  was  not  established  in  the  days  of 
ten  kings,  but  in  the  days  of  one  king — Tiberius 
Caesar.  Some  argue  that  there  were  ten  Caesars  and 
that  it  was  then  that  Daniel's  prophecy  had  its  fulfill- 
ment. But  there  were  more  than  ten  Caesars,  besides 
two  of  them  were  dead  before  Jesus  began  his  work, 
and  there  was  no  possibility  of  their  being  counted. 
Others  were  not  born  until  long  after  and  hence  they 
could  not  be  considered  a  part  of  the  ten  in  whose 
days  God  was  to  set  up  a  kingdom.  Certainly  the 
legs  of  the  image  had  not  then  been  developed,  and 
not  until  much  later  the  toes. 

Whatever  commentators  may  say  of  this  chapter, 
one  thing  is  certain,  it  referred  to  a  latter-day  king- 
dom, for  Daniel  said  to  the  king:  "There  is  a  God  in 
heaven  that  revealeth  secrets,  and  maketh  known 
unto  the  king  Nebuchadnezzar  what  shall  be  in  the 
latter  days."— Verse  28. 

It  was  to  be  established  by  divine  order,  for  Daniel 
said  again,  "And  in  the  days  of  these  kings  shall  the 
God  of  heaven  set  up  a  kingdom." — Verse  44. 

If  Joseph  Smith  was  not  the  man  called  of  God  to 
assist  in  establishing  this  work,  who  was?  Certainly 
none  of  the  European  reformers  were.  While  they 
did  well  as  men,  for  which  work  none  would  be 
more  ready  to  do  them  honor  than  the  writer,  yet  we 
must  look  elsewhere  for  the  fulfillment  of  these  texts. 
While  the  reformers  did  well  to  break  the  bands  of 
oppression  and  deliver  the  Bible  into  the  hands  of  the 
people  and  establish  freedom  of  thought  and  con- 
science, yet  the  followers  of  the  reformers  should 
"go  on  unto  perfection"  and  accept  and  believe  the 


172  JOSEPH  SMITH 

Bible  thus  put  into  their  hands,  with  respect  to  a 
later — a  divine  church. 

The  kingdom  Daniel  referred  to  was  not,  therefore, 
the  primitive  church  of  Jesus  Christ,  nor  does  it 
apply  to  the  Reformation.  It  is  just  possible  that  the 
Reformation  formed  a  number  of  the  ten  toes.  Many 
argue  that  ten  kingdoms  of  Europe  receiving  their 
power  from  the  Pope  are  the  toes  of  Daniel's  image. 
To  us  that  seems  unreasonable,  for  that  would  place 
ten  toes  on  one  foot  and  leave  none  for  the  other, 
besides  some  of  the  toes  would  now  be  quite  as  long 
if  not  longer  than  the  leg.  But  let  us  see;  Rome 
was  divided  into  Eastern  and  Western  Rome  in  the 
early  centuries  of  the  Christian  era.  Here  we  see 
the  two  legs  of  the  image.  We  know  them  now  as 
the  Greek  Catholic  and  Roman  Catholic.  From  the 
Roman  division  have  cou\e>  out  Protestant  fathers, 
Bapiisjs,  Lutherans,  Calviuists,  Episcopalians,  and 
Independents.  From  the  Greek  foot  have  come: 
First,  the  Uniates  seceded  in  1590  under  Igration 
Potosi.  In  a  few  years  they  numbered  over  four 
millions.  More  recently  over  three  millions  have 
returned.  Second,  the  old  believers  or  Starowers 
who  consist  of  over  five  millions  of  Russians  and  are 
sorely  persecuted  by  the  mother  church.  Third,  the 
Motens^ran.  Fourth,_the  Hellenic  Catholics  of 
Greece.  Fifth,  Turkish  Greek  Catholic.  Of  this 
latter  division  the  Encyclopedia  Britannica,  volume 
11,  page  36,  eighth  edition,  says:  "There  seems  no 
probability  that  either  the  Greek  church  either  in 
Turkey  or  Asia  can  again  be  united  under  one 
patriarch  so  as  to  become  active  and  powerful." 

In  the  days  of  these  kingdoms  or  churches  God 


JOSEPH  SMITH  173 

was  to  set  up  his  kingdom  or  church.  Rome,  the 
fourth  kingdom,  was  certainly  divided  both  ecclesias- 
tically and  otherwise ;  and  it  was  to  be  in  its  divided 
state  that  God  was  to  inaugurate  his  special  work.  It 
is  not  wonderful  that  God  should  call  upon  Joseph 
Smith  to  establish  this  kingdom.  A  kind,  sympa- 
thetic man,  that  "condescended  to  men  of  low 
estate, "  a  man  bold  and  fearless  that  could  not  be 
diverted  from  his  way  by  persecution,  slander,  or 
even  death  itself.  One  whose  character  had  not  even 
the  "smell  of  fire  upon  it."  One  who  cared  nothing 
for  the  theories  and  traditions  of  men,  who  feared 
God  with  all  his  house  and  commanded  his  children 
after  him  in  righteousness.  Where  could  he  have 
found  a  better  man? 

The  truths  he  taught  have  stood  every  test,  and 
slowly  and  surely  are  undermining  all  these  kingdoms 
(churches)  by  infusing  into  them  the  "leaven  that 
will  eventually  leaven  the  lump."  As^we  said  before 
in  substance,  the  churches  are  fast  giving  up  their  old 
ways  and  accepting  the  higher  criticism  and  many 
things  Latter  Day  Saint,  though  they  still  persecute 
the  one  who  was  the  instrument  in  bringing  this  light 
again  into  the  world.  The  time  of  their  destruction  is 
not  yet  fulfilled,  but  the  leaven  is  working  and  in  our 
opinion  will  be  accomplished  sooner  or  later  in  the 
Lord's  regular  way  by  conversion  to  the  fullness  of 
the  gospel  of  Chpist.  It  may  not  all  be  accomplished 
in  this  world,  but  truth  does  not  end  with  this  world. 

Another  text  foreshadowing  the  work  of  Joseph 
Smith,  or  rather  the  work  of  the  Lord  through  Joseph 
Smith,  is  found  in  the  twenty-ninth  chapter  of  Isaiah. 
We  have  not  sufficient  space  to  quote  the  entire  chap- 


174  JOSEPH  SMITH 

ter,  but  leave  the  reader  to  examine  it  at  his  leisure . 
In  the  meantime  we  call  attention  to  a  few  points 
contained  therein,  especially  that  part  which  refers  to 
"a  marvelous  work  and  a  wonder"  which  the  Lord 
says  he  will  perform  in  the  times  just  before  Palestine 
is  restored  as  indicated  in  verse  17  as  follows:  "Is  it 
not  a  very  little  while,  and  Lebanon  shall  be  turned 
into  a  fruitful  field?" 

Here  we  have  the  same  time  as  mentioned  so  often 
in  the  prophecies— the  restoration  of  Palestine  to  its 
former  fertility  and  the  regathering  of  the  Jews  to 
their  fatherland.  That  there  may  be  no  misunder- 
standing as  to  what  the  land  of  Lebanon  is,  which  is 
mentioned  in  the  above  verse,  we  call  attention  to 
Jeremiah  22 :  6 :  "For  thus  saith  the  Lord  unto  the 
king's  house  of  Judah;  thou  art  Gilead  unto  me,  and 
the  head  of  Lebanon;  yet  surely  I  will  make  thee 
a  wilderness,  and  cities  which  are  not  inhabited." 
Also  Zechariah  10: 10:  "I  will  bring  them  again  also 
out  of  the  land  .of  Egypt,  and  gather  them  out  of 
Assyria;  and  I  will  bring  them  into  the  land  of  Gilead 
and  Lebanon;  and  place  shall  not  be  found  for 
them." 

As  "the  land  of  Gilead  and  Lebanon"  is  the  land 
that  is  to  be  made  "a  wilderness,  and  cities  which  are 
not  inhabited,"  and  as  it  is  the  land  to  which  Israel  is 
again  to  be  gathered,  there  can  be  no  doubt  as  to 
"Lebanon"  being  the  land  of  Palestine — "the  Holy 
Land." 

It  will  be  noticed  that  just  a  little  while  before  this 
event  God  was  to  do  a  marvelous  work  and  a  wonder 
among  certain  people  who  were  without  seers  and 
prophets,  and  the  chief  instrument  in  his  hands  to 


JOSEPH  SMITH  175 

accomplish  this  marvelous  work  and  a  wonder  was  to 
be  an  unlearned  man,  as  verses  twelve  and  fourteen 
plainly  and  pointedly  show:  "And  the  book4  is 
delivered  to  him  that  is  not  learned,  saying,  Read 
this,  I  pray  thee:  and  he  saith,  I  am  not  learned.  .  .  . 
Therefore,  behold,  I  will  proceed  to  do  a  marvelous 
work  among  this  people,  even  a  marvelous  work  and 
a  wonder:  for  the  wisdom  of  their  wise  men  shall 
perish,  and  the  understanding  of  their  prudent  men 
shall  be  hid." 

All  of  the  reformers  were  more  or  less  wise  and 
learned,  some  of  them  decidedly  so.  Therefore  it  will 
not  be  in  harmony  with  the  above  scripture  to  apply 
it  to  any  one  or  all  of  them;  besides  Palestine  had 
not  then  become  fruitful,  nor  did  that  event  occur 
until  long  after  Protestantism  was  born. 

Unless  Isaiah  prophesied  falsely,  which  we  are  not 
willing  to  admit,  there  was  to  be  an  unlearned  man 
chosen  of  God  in  our  day — a  little  while  before  Leba- 
non became  fruitful — to  bring  about  a  "marvelous 
work  and  a  wonder."  Who  was  it?  It  could  have 
been  no  other  than  Joseph  Smith.  No  other  man's 
work  fills  the  description.  While  he  is  not  called  by 
name,  yet  the  work  that  he  really  did  is  actually 
pointed  out  by  the  prophets,  and  time  and  place 
shown  so  clearly,  that  he  who  runs  may  read.  That 
he  was  unlearned  at  first  even  his  best  friends  do  not 
deny.  He  could  not  have  been  very  far  advanced  in 
science,  literature,  or  art  at  fifteen  years  of  age.  But 


4  This  book  doubtless  refers  to  the  Book  of  Mormon,  the  bible  of  the  ancient 
Americans  who  inhabited  this  continent  hundreds  of  years  ago.  This  book 
Mr.  Smith  translated  into  English.  It  may  be  obtained  at  the  Herald  Publish- 
ing House,  at  Lamoni,  Iowa.  Price,  sixty-five  cents. 


176  JOSEPH  SMITH 

during  the  fourteen  years  of  his  experience  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  he  made  rapid 
advancement  in  learning,  and  even  stood  far  in 
advance  of  many  of  our  best  statesmen  in  mental 
acumen,  as  we  shall  presently  show.  No  other  man 
has  yet  claimed  to  be  the  unlearned  man  here  spoken 
of,  and  it  is  now  too  late  for  such  a  man  to  arise,  for 
Lebanon  has  long  since  become  a  fruitful  field,  but 
did  not  yield  her  bounties  until  after  and  only  a  little 
while  after  Joseph  Smith  established  anew  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  by  divine  order,  April  6,  1830,  three 
years  after  the  horses  with  wheels  were  invented  and 
eleven  years  after  the  first  swift  vessel  crossed  the 
ocean,  and  twenty-three  years  before  the  former  and 
latter  rain  was  restored  to  Palestine. 

This  ray  of  light  from  the  divine  word  does  not 
therefore  point  to  the  time  of  Christ,  nor  does  it  point 
to  any  or  all  of  the  reformers,  but  it  does  fall  fully  on 
the  work  of  Joseph  Smith  and  lights  up  the  path  so 
brightly  that  he  who  is  in  the  greatest  darkness  may 
see  if  he  will  but  open  his  eyes  and  look. 

Another  passage  referring  directly  to  the  work 
begun  by  Joseph  Smith  will  be  found  in  Revelation 
14:6,  7: 

"And  I  saw  another  angel  fly  in  the  midst  of 
heaven,  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach 
unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  and  to  every 
nation,  and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  saying 
with  a  loud  voice,  Fear  God,  and  give  glory  to  him; 
for  the  hour  of  his  judgment  is  come." 

Just  before  the  judgment  an  angel  is  to  fly  with  the 
gospel  to  be  preached  on  earth.  The  angel  that 
visited  Joseph  Smith  ordained  him  to  preach  the 


JOSEPH  SMITH  17V 

everlasting  gospel.  Not  a  new  one  but  the  old.  So 
those  who  look  upon  Mr.  Smith  as  bringing  a  new 
gospel,  a  new  doctrine,  or  a  new  religion,  simply  mis- 
understand the  man  and  his  work. 

Let  us  examine  this  passage  a  little  more  minutely 
that  we  may  the  better  understand  it.  It  will  be 
necessary  to  refer  to  Revelation  4: 1  where  we  find 
the  following: 

".After  this  I  looked,  and,  behold,  a  door  was 
opened  in  heaven :  and  the  first  voice  which  I  heard 
was  as  it  were  of  a  trumpet  talking  with  me ;  which 
said,  Come  up  hither,  and  I  will  show  thee  things 
which  must  be  hereafter." 

John  was  on  the  Isle  of  Patmos  in  the  year  96 
A.  D.;  there  he  received  his  revelation,  so  that  we 
have  positive  proof  that  the  things  spoken  of  in  the 
book  of  Revelation  after  chapter  four,  represent 
things  that  were  to  be  fulfilled  since  the  year  96  A.  D. 
Among  other  things,  he  saw  an  angel  coming  to 
earth,  and  that  his  message  was  the  gospel,  and  that 
it  was  to  be  preached  on  earth  (hereby  we  know  he 
was  coming  to  earth)  and  to  every  nation,  kindred, 
tongue,  and  people.  We  naturally  inquire,  Why 
should  an  angel  bring  the  gospel  from  heaven  when 
it  has  been  on  earth  continuously  since  the  days  of 
Jesus,  as  some  believe?  This  question  reveals  the 
weakness  of  those  faiths  which  claim  a  succession 
since  Christ,  for  it  would  be  folly  to  bring  us  some- 
thing we  were  already  in  possession  of.  On  the  con- 
trary, if  the  gospel  was  to  be  restored  to  every 
nation,  kindred,  tongue,  and  people,  then  it  had  been 
taken  away  and  did  not,  during  that  time  (the  Dark 
Ages),  exist  in  its  fullness  in  all  this  broad  earth 


178  JOSEPH  SMITH 

anywhere.  It  is  certain  that  there  was  to  be  a  res- 
toration of  the  gospel  after  the  year  96  A.  D.,  and  that 
too  by  an  angel. 

It  is  only  necessary  here  to  state  that  no  other 
church  founder  that  we  know  of,  except  Joseph 
Smith,  claimed  to  have  received  this  angel  visit. 

In  a  former  chapter  we  have  shown  that  John  the 
Baptist  visited  Joseph  Smith  and  Oliver  Cowdery  and 
ordained  them  and  gave  them  authority  to  baptize 
and  also  to  proclaim  the  gospel  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. The  world  had  wandered  from  the  good  old 
way,  had  changed  and  changed  from  good  to  bad 
and  bad  to  worse  until  we  doubt  if  in  1829  the  gospel 
of  Christ  without  additions  or  subtractions  could  be 
found  on  earth.  They  had  the  gospel  in  part — in 
word  only — and  very  many  only  a  part  of  the  word. 
Jesus  saw  all  this  and  so  he  said:  "This  gospel  of 
the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  all  the  world  for  a 
witness  unto  all  nations;  and  then  shall  the  end 
come."— -Matthew  24: 14. 

We  must  then  look  for  that  very  same  faith  to-day, 
with  all  of  the  signs  following,  with  all  the  spiritual 
gifts  in  an  organization  with  apostles,  prophets,  and 
other  officers  as  God  fashioned  it  anciently. 

Some  may  wish  to  ask,  What  will  become  of  those 
who  lived  during  the  Dark  Ages,  when  there  was  no 
church  on  earth  acknowledged  of  God?  I  do  not 
know  that  we  are  under  any  obligations  to  answer 
this  question  in  order  to  prove  our  position,  or  rather 
the  position  of  John  the  Revelator,  to  be  true.  John's 
statement  is  true  whether  we  can  or  can  not  answer 
that  or  any  other  question,  but  we  may  be  able  to 
throw  a  little  heart's  ease  on  the  subject  in  the  Yan- 


JOSEPH   SMITH  179 

kee  style  of  answering  a  question  by  asking  another: 
What  became  of  those  who  lived  before  Jesus  estab- 
lished the  gospel?  Or  those  who  lived  before  the  ten 
commandments  were  given?  Or  still  greater,  What 
will  become  of  the  heathen  now  living?  The  answer 
to  any  one  of  these  questions  will  also  answer  the 
other.  Each  may  be  answered  by  reading  1  Peter 
4 :  6,  as  follows :  "For,  for  this  cause  was  the  gospel 
preached  also  to  them  that  are  dead." 

But  back  to  the  main  point.  The  angel  was  to 
come  and  bring  the  gospel.  To  those  who  believe 
the  Bible  this  fact  will  be  readily  accepted.  Those 
who  have  more  faith  in  their  creed  than  in  the  Bible, 
doubtless  will  try  to  explain  it  away  and  spiritualize 
it,  but  we  prefer  to  believe  it  as  it  is,  and  in  doing 
so,  we  are  in  harmony  with  many,  many  passages  of 
scripture  that  can  not  be  understood  in  any  other 
way. 

The  reader  may  ask:  What  evidence  have  we 
that  an  angel  visited  Joseph  Smith  and  commis- 
sioned him  to  reestablish  the  church  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  restore  the  primitive  order  of  things?  We  have 
been  giving  some  of  the  reasons  from  the  first  page 
of  this  book.  We  have  shown  that  he  was  worthy  of 
that  calling.  We  have  shown  that  his  words  indi- 
cate a  high  standard  of  morality — that  his  prophecies 
were  genuine;  that  the  Scriptures  point  out  such  a 
work  and  that  his  testimony  of  the  angel  visit  can 
not  be  disproven.  He  was  so  certain  of  his  calling 
that  he  has  left  it  with  God  to  testify  to  every  one 
who  honestly  inquires  with  a  disposition  to  obey.  He 
leaves  it  with  God  to  prove  that  he  was  called  of  God 
and  ordained  as  he  testifies.  It  rests  with  the  reader 


180  JOSEPH  SMITH 

to  inquire  at  headquarters  and  receive  the  evidence 
for  himself.  Thousands  throughout  the  civilized 
world  are  happy  in  the  reception  of  such  evidence. 
Human  testimony  is  incomplete  at  most.  Divine 
testimony  alone  fills  the  heart  and  mind  to  complete 
satisfaction.  For  this  reason  we  have  undertaken  to 
enlighten  those  who  read  these  pages  concerning 
Joseph  Smith's  calling  and  authority,  but  we  freely 
confess  that  the  divine  alone  will  fully  satisfy.  It 
has  satisfied  us,  it  will  satisfy  others.  Mr.  Smith  and 
many  others  bear  testimony  that  will  stand  in  any 
court  and  will  stand  at  the  judgment  day.  But  the 
reader  may  obtain  a  testimony  for  himself  that  will 
stand  undaunted  throughout  his  life  if  he  will  try  in 
the  way  God  has  commanded. 

If  Joseph  Smith  was  really  an  impostor,  as  some 
believe,  it  would  have  been  no  use  to  say  to  the  peo- 
ple that  "God  will  bear  record  of  my  work."  It  would 
have  been  a  death-blow  to  his  imposition.  But  thou- 
sands testify  to-day  that  God  does  witness  to  them 
that  this  work  is  divine.  What  better  evidence  can 
you  ask  for?  We  are  willing  to  risk  our  case  here. 
We  can  afford  to  do  so.  So  could  Joseph  Smith,  and 
so  he  did.  We  leave  the  matter  with  the  reader. 
Test  and  try. 

That  Mr.  Smith  did  restore  the  primitive  order  of 
Christianity  is  proven  by  the  following  epitome  of 
faith.  Really  the  best  evidence  aside  from  direct 
revelation  from  God  is  to  try  his  teaching  by  the 
divine  word,  for  "He  whom  God  has  sent  speaketh 
the  words  of  God."— Saint  John  3:  34. 

Let  the  reader  try  these  principles  by  the  word : 


JOSEPH  SMITH1  181 

We  believe  in  God  the  Eternal  Father,  and  in  his  Son  Jesus 
Ohrist,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  Matthew  28:  19.  1  John  1:  3. 
Saint  John  11:  26. 

We  believe  that  men  will  be  punished  for  their  own  sins,  and 
not  for  Adam's  transgression.  Ecclesiastes  12:  14.  Matthew 
16:  27.  1  Corinthians  3.  13.  Revelation  20:  '12-15. 

We  believe  that  through  the  atonement  of  Christ,  all  men  may 
be  saved  by  obedience  to  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  the  gospel. 
1  Corinthians  15:  3.  2  Timothy  1: 10.  Romans  8:  1-6. 

We  believe  that  these  ordinances  are : 

First.  Faith  in  God  and  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Hebrews 
11:6.  1  Peter  1:21.  1  Timothy  4:10.  John  3:16,  18,  36. 
Mark  11:  22.  John  14:1. 

Second.  Repentance.  Matthew  3:2,  8,  11.  Luke  13  : 3; 
24:47.  Ezekiel  18:30.  Mark  1:5,  15.  Acts  2:38.  Romans 
2:4.  2  Corinthians  7:  10. 

Third.  Baptism  by  immersion  for  the  remission  of  sins. 
Matthew  3:  13-15.  Mark  I:  4,  5.  Luke  3:  3.  John  3:  5.  Acts 
2:  38;  22: 16;  2:  41;  8:  12,  37,  38.  Mark  16:  16.  Colossians2:  12. 
Romans  6:  4,  5.  John  3:  23.  Acts  8:  38,  39. 

Fourth.  Laying  on  of  hands  for  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Deuteronomy  34  :  9.  John  20  :  21,  22.  Acts  8  :  17;  19  :  6. 
1  Timothy  4:  14.  Acts  9:  17.  1  Corinthians  12:  3.  Acts  19:  1-6. 

Fifth.  We  believe  in  the  resurrection  of  the  body;  that  the 
dead  in  Christ  will  rise  first,  and  the  rest  of  the  dead  will  not 
live  again  until  the  thousand  years  are  expired.  Job  19:  25,  26. 
Daniel  12:2.  1  Corinthians  15:42.  1  Thessalonians  4:16. 
Revelation  20:  6.  Acts  17:31.  Philippians  3:  21.  John  11:  24. 
Isaiah  26: 19.  Psalms  17:  15. 

Sixth.  We  believe  in  the  doctrine  of  eternal  judgment,  which 
provides  that  men  shall  be  judged,  rewarded,  or  punished, 
according  to  the  degree  of  good,  or  evil,  they  shall  have  done. 
Revelation  20:  12.  Ecclesiastes  3:  17.  Matthew  16:  27.  2  Cor- 
inthians 5:  10.  2  Peter  2:  4,  13,  17. 

We  believe  that  a  man  must  be  called  of  God,  and  ordained  by 
the  laying  on  of  hands  of  those  who  are  in  authority,  to  entitle 
him  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  administer  in  the  ordinances 
thereof.  Hebrews  5:  1,  5,  6,  8.  Acts  1:  24,  25;  14:  23.  Ephe- 
sians4:  11.  John  15:  16. 


182  JOSEPH  SMITH 

We  believe  in  the  same  kind  of  organization  that  existed  in 
the  primitive  church,  viz:  Apostles,  prophets,  pastors,  teachers, 
evangelists,  etc.  1  Corinthians  12: 28.  Matthew  10:1.  Acts 
6:  4.  Ephesians  4:  11;  2:  20.  Titus  1:  5. 

We  believe  that  in  the  Bible  is  contained  the  word  of  God,  so 
far  as  it  is  translated  correctly.  We  believe  that  the  canon  of 
scripture  is  not  full,  but  that  God,  by  his  Spirit,  will  continue  to 
reveal  his  word  to  man  until  the  end  of  time.  Job  32:8. 
Hebrews  13:8.  Proverbs  29:18.  Amos  3:  7.  Jeremiah  23:  4;  ' 
31:  31,  34;  33:  6.  Psalms  85: 10,  11.  Luke  17:  26.  Revelation 
14:6,7;  19:10. 

We  believe  in  the  powers  and  gifts  of  the  everlasting  gospel, 
viz:  the  gift  of  faith,  discerning  of  spirits,  prophecy,  revelation, 
healing,  visions,  tongues  and  the  interpretation  of  tongues,  wis- 
dom, charity,  brotherly  love,  etc.  1  Corinthians  12:  1-11;  14:  26. 
John  14:  24.  Acts  2:  3.  Matthew  28:  19,.20.  Mark  16:  16. 

We  believe  that  marriage  is  ordained  of  God ;  and  that  the  law 
of  God  provides  for  but  one  companion  in  wedlock,  for  either 
man  or  woman,  except  in  cases  where  the  contract  of  marriage 
is  broken  by  death  or  transgression.  Genesis  2:  18,  21-24;  7:1, 
7,  13.  Proverbs  5:  15-21.  Malachi  2:  14,  15.  Matthew  19:  4-6. 
1  Corinthians  7:2.  Hebrews  13:4.  Doctrine  and  Covenants 
42:7;  49:3. 

We  believe  that  the  doctrines  of  a  plurality  and  a  community 
of  wives  are  heresies,  and  are  opposed  to  the  law  of  God.  Gene- 
sis 4: 19,  23,  24;  7:9;  22:  2,  in  connection  Galatians  fourth  and 
fifth  chapters.  Genesis  21:  8-10.  Malachi  2:  14,  15.  Matthew 
19:  3-9.  The  Book  of  Mormon  says:  "Wherefore,  my  brethren, 
hear  me,  and  hearken' to  the  word  of  the  Lord:  For  there  shall 
not  any  man  among  you  have  save  it  be  one  wife,  and  concu- 
bines he  shall  have  none,  for  I,  the  Lord  God,  delighteth  in  the 
chastity  of  women.  And  whoredoms  are  an  abomination  before 
me,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."— Jacob  2:  6. 

We  believe  that  in  all  matters  of  controversy  upon  the  duty  of 
man  toward  God,  and  in  reference  to  preparation  and  fitness  for 
the  world  to  come,  the  word  of  God  should  be  decisive  and  the 
end  of  dispute;  and  that  when  God  directs,  man  should  obey. 

We  believe  that  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  taught  in  the 
New  Testament  Scriptures,  will,  if  its  precepts  .are  accepted  and 


JOSEPH  SMITH  183 

obeyed,  make  men  and  women  better  in  the  domestic  circle,  and 
better  citizens  of  town,  county,  and  state,  and  consequently  bet* 
ter  fitted  for  the  change  which  cometh  at  death. 

*We  believe  that  men  should  worship  God  in  "spirit  and  in 
truth";  and  that  such  worship  does  not  require  a  violation  of 
the  constitutional  law  of  the  land.  John  4:  21-24.  Doctrine  and 
Covenants,  section  58,  paragraph  5. 

We  claim  the  privilege  of  worshiping  Almighty  God  accord- 
ing to  the  dictates  of  our  conscience,  allow  all  men  the  same 
privilege,  let  them  worship  how,  where,  or  what  they  may. 

To  refresh  the  memory  we  will  recapitulate  by 
summarizing. 

(A)    REVELATION   14 1  6,  7. 

1.  An  angel  was  to  come. 

2.  He  was  to  bring  the  old  gospel. 

3.  It  was  to  be  preached  universally. 

4.  He  was  to  come  after  96  A.  D. 

(B)  ISAIAH  29 :  1  TO  LAST. 

5.  A  marvelous  work  was  to  come  forth. 

6.  An  unlearned  man  would  begin  it. 

7.  Lebanon  was  to  flourish  again. 

8.  It  was  to  be  only  a  little  while  before  Lebanon's 
blessing. 

(c)  DANIEL  2:28  TO  44. 

9.  A  divine  kingdom  will  be  set  up. 

10.  It  would  be  set  up  in  latter  days. 

11.  After  Rome  was  divided. 

12.  It  was  to  be  a  divine  kingdom  or  church. 

(D)  ISAIAH  2 :  2. 

13.  The  house  of  God  in  the  last  days. 

14.  It  was  to  be  established  in  the  top  of  civiliza- 
tion. 


184  JOSEPH  SMITH 

15.  All  nations  were  to  flow  unto  it. 

(E)  ISAIAH  18 : 1  to  3. 

16.  An  ensign  of  God  is  to  be  set  up. 

17.  It  was  to  be  on  America. 

18.  After  the  steamboat  crossed  the  ocean, 

19.  Just  before  the  harvest  of  the  world. 

20.  To  go  to  the  Jews  and  not  from  them. 

(F)  ISAIAH  5 : 26  TO  LAST. 

21.  An  ensign  is  to  be  set  up  at  the  end  of  the 
earth. 

22.  Afar  off. 

23.  Among  the  Gentile  nations. 

24.  Not  among  the  Jews. 

25.  After    horses    with    wheels    could    carry    the 
people. 

26.  Travelers  not  to  grow  weary, 

(G)  ISAIAH  11: 11. 

27.  The  Jews  to  be  gathered  the  second  time. 

28.  Time  1853. 

29.  An  ensign  established  just  before  that  time. 

30.  To  be  gathered  from  all  nations. 
31fc  Not  from  the  Babylonian  captivity. 

(H)    ZECHARIAH   2 1  1   TO   3. 

32.  Jerusalem  is  to  be  rebuilt. 

33.  Without  walls. 

34.  A  young  man  is  to  announce  it. 

35.  An  angel  is  to  inform  him. 

(i)  MALACHI  3:1  TO  4 ;  4 : 5,  6. 

36.  John  the  Baptist  is  to  come. 

37.  Just  before  Christ's  second  coming. 


JOSEPH  SMITH  185 

38.  The  object  is  to  benefit  both  the  fathers  and 
their  children. 
.    39.  It  was  also  to  bless  the  Jews  and  all  Israel. 

(J)  ACTS  3 :  20,  21. 

40.  A  restitution  of  all  things. 

41.  Which  had  been   spoken  of  by  all  the  holy 
prophets. 

42.  In  the  age  when  Jesus  was  to  reappear  the 
second  time. 

(K)  EPHESIANS  1 : 10. 

43.  A  latter-day  dispensation. 

44.  It  was  to  be  in  the  fullness  of  times. 

45.  It  was  to  accomplish  the  gathering  of  all  things 
in  Christ,  both  in  heaven  and  earth. 

(L)  JOEL  2 :  21  TO  31 ;  ACTS  2 : 16  TO  20. 

46.  Palestine  to  again  yield  her  fruit. 

47.  Afterward  there  were  to  be  prophets. 

48.  Sun  to  be  darkened  and  moon  to  be  as  blood. 

49.  Wonders  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  blood,  fire, 
and  pillars  of  smoke. 

50.  Spirit  to  be  poured  out  on  all  flesh  as  a  final 
result. 

There  are  other  texts  referring  to  this  same  subject 
such  as  Zechariah  14 :  7  and  Psalms  85 :  10-12,  but  we 
have  introduced  sufficient  to  show  that  God  has 
reserved  a  special  work  for  the  last  days.  Place, 
time,  and  conditions  all  being  so  plainly  pointed  out 
that  we  can  not  escape  from  the  conclusion  that 
Joseph  Smith  was  the  one  chosen  of  God  to  do  that 
work.  We  have  proven,  too,  that  God  has  borne 
testimony  of  his  calling  by  sending  the  former  and 


186  JOSEPH  SMITH 

latter  rains  on  Palestine,  and  also  by  gathering  the 
Jews  to  their  fathers'  land.  As  the  disciples  of  Christ 
proved  his  divinity  by  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy, 
so  we  have  used  the 'same  weapon  in  favor  of  Mr. 
Smith's  calling  and  the  "dispensation  of  the  fullness 
of  times." 
We  have  noticed: 

1.  That  many  prophecies  of  Scripture  show  very 
plainly  that  the  Lord  was  to  set  up  his  church  in  the 
last  days  somewhere  between  1819  and  1853  at  the 
end  of  the  earth  or  on  the  land  of  America. 

2.  That  an  angel  of  God  visited  Joseph  Smith  and 
authorized  him  to  establish  again  the  ancient  church 
of  God. 

3.  That  the  Lord  acknowledged  the  work  by  signs 
following  all  who  are  worthy. 

4.  That  it  is  not  a  new  faith,  but  the  old  restored. 
Unlike  the  reformers,  who  assumed  authority  to 

build  churches,  Mr.  Smith  was  divinely  appointed  to 
do  his  work.  Instead  of  having  a  secular  church, 
then, — a  church  of  man, — we  present  to  the  reader  a 
divine  one  restored. 

The  Bible  speaks  of  this  kind  of  a  church,  but 
knows  nothing  of  a  reformation  only  as  a  prepara- 
tory step  for  a  greater  light  which  was  to  follow 
them. 

It  matters  little  \frith  God  as  to  whether  man  will 
close  his  eyes  against  these  facts  or  not.  Our  belief 
or  disbelief  will  not  alter  them,  neither  will  it  alter 
the  Lord's  plans.  We  must  learn  to  face  the  facts 
and  order  our  lives  accordingly.  The  door  is  open, 
he  who  will  enter  in  may  do  so,  and  those  who  will 
not  are  at  liberty  to  do  as  they  please.  We  may  sug- 


JOSEPH  SMITH  187 

gest  to  the  reader  that  he  make  this  a  matter  of 
solemn  prayer.  Surely  He  will  hear  those  who  ear- 
nestly ask  him.  God  is  unchangeable  and  is  as 
willing  to  hear  his  younger  girls  and  boys  as  the 
older  ones,  and  may  we  suggest,  that  he  is  as  willing 
to  answer,  too. 

Indeed,  before  you  have  asked  him  he  has  already 
answered  you,  for  in  1830  the  word  of  the  Lord  came 
to  his  servant,  and  a  part  of  it  is  direct  to  you : 

Hearken,  0  ye  people  of  my  church,  saith  the  voice,  of  him 
who  dwells  on  high,  and  whose  eyes  are  upon  all  men;  yea, 
verily  I  say,  Hearken  ye  people  from  afar,  and  ye  that  are  upon 
the  islands  of  the  sea,  listen  together;  for  verily  the  voice  of  the 
Lord  is  unto  all  men,  and  there  is  none  to  escape,  and  there  is 
no  eye  that  shall  not  see,  neither  ear  that  shall  not  hear,  neither 
heart  that  shall  not  be  penetrated ;  and  the  rebellious  shall  be 
pierced  with  much  sorrow,  for  their  iniquities  shall  be  spoken 
upon  the  housetops,  and  their  secret  acts  shall  be  revealed;  and 
the  voice  of  warning  shall  be  unto  all  people,  by  the  mouths  of 
my  disciples,  whom  I  have  chosen  in  these  last  days,  and  they 
shall  go  forth  and  none  shall  stay  them,  for  I  the  Lord  have 
commanded  them. 

Wherefore  the  voice  of  the  Lord  is  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth, 
that  all  that  will  hear  may  hear:  prepare  ye,  prepare  ye  for  that 
which  is  to  come,  for  the  Lord  is  nigh ;  and  the  anger  of  the 
Lord  is  kindled,  and  his  sword  is  bathed  in  heaven,  and  it  shall 
fall  upon  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth ;  and  the  arm  of  the  Lord 
shall  be  revealed;  and  the  day  cometh  that  they  who  will  not 
hear  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  neither  the  voice  of  his  servants, 
neither  give  heed  to  the  words  of  the  prophets  and  apostles, 
shall  be  cut  off  from  among  the  people  [see  Acts  3:  22,  23];  for 
they  have  strayed  from  mine  ordinances  [see  Isaiah  24:  1-6],  and 
have  broken  mine  everlasting  covenant;  they  seek  not  the  Lord 
to  establish  his  righteousness,  but  every  man  walketh  in  his  own 
way,  and  after  the  image  of  his  own  god,  whose  image  is  in  the 
likeness  of  the  world,  and  whose  substance  is  that  of  an  idol, 


188  JOSEPH   SMITH 

which  waxeth  old  and  shall  perish  in  Babylon,  even  Babylon  the 
great,  which  shall  fall. 

Wherefore  I  the  Lord,  knowing  the  calamity  which  should 
come  upon  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  called  upon  my  servant, 
Joseph  Smith,  Jra,  and  spoke  unto  him  from  heaven,  and  gave 
him  commandments,  and  also  gave  commandments  to  others, 
that  they  should  proclaim  these  things  unto  the  world;  and  all 
this  that  it  might  be  fulfilled,  which  was  written  by  the 
prophets. — Doctrine  and  Covenants  1:  1,  3,  4. 

From  this  we  see  the  Lord  acknowledged  the 
work  of  Joseph  Smith  and  called  upon  the  world  to 
hearken. 

That  the  last  vestige  of  doubt  may  be  removed  we 
suggest  a  few  more  thoughts,  calling  attention  again 
to  that  excellent  article  in  the  New  York  Arena,  only 
more  fully : 

It  is  also  true  and  demands  special  emphasis  that  God  is  ever 
the  same,  that  revelation  is  continuous  and  eternal,  that  inspi- 
ration is  given  in  all  ages  to  all  who  meet  the  conditions,  .  .  . 
and  that  the  Holy  Spirit  has  been  given  from  the  time  of  the 
first  man,  and  in  equal  degree  to  all  who  have  equally  opened 
their  hearts  to  him. 

Again  on  page  189 : 

The  idea,  then,  of  God's  immediate,  eternal,  and  inspiring 
presence  ought  to  be  preached  and  emphasized.  By  preaching 
otherwise,  the  race  has  been  robbed  of  a  glorious  hope,  civiliza- 
tion has  been  retarded,  and  tradition  has  usurped  the  throne  of 
reason. 

We  do  not  look  upon  Joseph  Smith  as  it  is  reported 
of  us,  for  it  is  said,  "he  as  prophet  was  entitled  to  all 
obedience,"  and  "our  faith  compelled  us  to  accept 
everything  he  said."  Nothing  could  be  farther  from 
the  truth.  We  accept  the  Bible  as  a  rule  of  faith  and 
practice,  and  could  not,  therefore,  accept  anything 
that  is  not  in  harmony  with  that.  We  could  not  fol- 


JOSEPH  SMITH  189 

low  any  man  further  than  he  followed  Jesus  Christ. 
Nor  did  any  of  Joseph  Smith's  teachings  advise  any 
c-ne  to  do  so.  He  was  as  subject  to  the  law  as  any 
one  iri  the  Church.  He  was  neither  king,  governor, 
or  ruler  of  the  Church,  but  its  servant.  Under  the 
regulations  of  the  church  government  he  could  not 
have  ruled  the  Church  at  will  if  he  had  desired  to  do 
so,  for  the  simple  reason  that  the  presidency  of  the 
Church  consists  of  three  persons  holding  equal 
authority,  of  which  number  Joseph  Smith  was  but 
one,  therefore  there  were  two  others  besides  himself 
who  must  be  consulted  and  consent  obtained.  Paul 
says,  "Let  the  prophets  speak  two  or  three,  and  let 
the  other  judge." — 1  Corinthians  14:29.  When, 
therefore,  the  Holy  Ghost  inspired  Joseph  Smith  to 
speak  it  must  be  judged  and  tried  by  others,  not  only 
his  two  associates  but  also  the  entire  Church,  for,  as 
we  shall  presently  see,  "all  things  in  the  Church  were 
to  be  done  by  common  consent."  As  God  is 
unchangeable  no  communication  would  be  received 
if  not  in  exact  harmony  with  the  word  of  God  in 
other  ages.  Hence  one  of  the  fundamental  princi- 
ples of  the  true  Latter  Day  Saints  is,  "The  right  to 
preside  only  by  consent  of  the  governed."  Also  the 
right  of  the  Church  as  Paul  understood  it  for  others 
to  judge  of  what  was  revealed  to  the  prophet.  This 
is  proper,  for  the  Holy  Spirit  is  given  to  every  worthy 
member  in  the  Church  and  they  have  a  right  to  exer- 
cise its  gifts  or  rather  to  receive  of  its  gifts  for  their 
protection.  It  is  according  to  the  promise  of  the 
Savior:  "He  shall  receive  of  mine,  and  shall  show 
it  unto  you." — John  16: 14. 
If  our  enemies  who  misrepresent  us  had  only  read  a 


190  JOSEPH  SMITH 

few  of  Joseph  Smith's  communications  to  the  Church, 
they  would  have  discovered  this  statement:  "All 
things  shall  be  done  in  the  Church  by  common  con- 
sent." And  had  they  read  further  they  would  have 
found  that  same  statement  repeated  time  and  again. 
We  look  upon  Mr.  Smith  simply  as  a  man,  no  more 
perfect  than  many  others,  yet  at  times  receiving  -the 
gifts  of  the  Spirit  of  God  for  the  good  of  the  Church 
whose  servant  he  was  as  well  as  the  servant  of  God ; 
asking  the  will  of  God  for  the  Church,  giving  the  will 
of  God  to  the  Church. 

To  establish  the  thought  more  fully  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  for  all  who  are  worthy  to  obtain  it  we  refer 
to  the  New  York  Arena  again,  pages  190  and  191: 

So  long  as  they  appeal  to  the  inspiration  of  the  past  for  all 
authority,  disclaim  any  right  of  their  own  to  speak  in  the  name 
of  Jehovah,  teach  that  revelation  is  finished  and  sealed  up,  so 
long  they  will  go  halting  and  their  words  be  well  nigh  powerless. 
While  they  need  not  assume  a  boastful  spirit,  yet  they  should 
have  wrought  within  their  souls  a  conviction  of  the  truths  they 
utter,  should  feel  that  these  truths  are  from  God  and  that  in 
expressing  them  they  speak  for  God.  They  should,  moreover, 
teach  the  possibility  of  present-day  prophets  and  prepare  the 
people  to  receive  them.  Let  this  be  done,  and  then,  when  a  new 
prophet  arises,  he  will  be  quickly  understood.  .  .  .  To-day  the 
cry  comes  to  the  clergy  of  America  as  never  before,  Prepare  ye 
the  way  of  the  Lord. 

One  would  almost  think  from  this  reading  that  the 
writer  was  a  Latter  Day  Saint,  but  such  is  not  the 
case.  He  perhaps  never  met  one.  But  his  reasoning 
is  logical  and  sounds  like  truth  as  taught  by  the  New 
Testament  writers.  Understanding  the  nature  of 
man  and  anticipating  the  times  in  which  we  live,  he 
proceeds  to  point  out  what  might  be  expected  if  a 


JOSEPH  SMITH  191 

new  prophet  should  arise,  and  in  doing  so  he  tells  the 
story  of  Joseph  Smith  as  represented  by  his  enemies. 
He  continues : 

But  in  making  the  transition  from  the  old  way  to  the  new 
[new,  because  the  old  has  been  forgotten],  there  are  some  prac- 
tical difficulties  to  be  overcome.  The  utterances  of  new  truth 
invariably  bring  the  cry  of  "heresy."  The  honest  preacher  will 
be  charged  with  skepticism,  even  infidelity.  The  professed 
friends  of  truth  will  do  all  they  can  to  destroy  his  influence,  if 
not  by  argument,  by  the  use  of  opprobrious  epithets. 

He  then  quotes  Bishop  Wilberforce  as  follows: 

You  need  boldness  to  risk  all  for  God;  to  stand  by  the  truth 
and  its  supporters  against  man's  threatenings  and  the  Devil's 
wrath.  You  need  a  patient  meekness  to  bear  the  galling 
calumnies  and  false  surmises  with  which,  if  you  are  faithful, 
that  satanic  working  which,  if  it  could,  would  burn  your  body, 
will  assuredly  assail  you  daily  through  the  pens  and  tongues  of 
deceivers  and  deceived,  who  under  a  semblance  of  zeal  for 
Christ,  will  cover  or  distort  your  words,  misrepresent  your 
motives,  rejoice  in  your  failings,  exaggerate  your  errors,  and 
seek  by  every  poisoned  breath  of  slander  to  destroy  your  powers 
of  service. 

So  it  was  with  Joseph  Smith.  His  enemies  have 
done  all  that  the  Bishop  anticipates  and  more.  The 
clergy  were  his  bitterest  opposers.  He  was  misrep- 
resented, misunderstood,  and  maltreated  by  religious 
zealots.  Their  words  and  their  writings  have  crept 
into  the  literature  of  to-day  and  many  thousands 
who  honestly  believe  they  know  the  man,  know  only 
a  man  of  straw. 

He  was  not  infallible.  No  prophet  ever  was.  When 
not  inspired  (and  no  prophet  was  ever  inspired  only 
at  times)  he  was  like  other  uninspired  men,  and  his 
words  worth  no  more  than  others,  only  for  the  wis- 
dom they  contained.  When  inspired  he  was  as  other 


192  JOSEPH  SMITH 

inspired  men.  Inspiration  does  not  indicate  infalli- 
bility in  the  man  speaking.  As  stated  in  the  Arena  : 
"It  will  be  a  great  day  for  the  human  race  when  it  is 
freely  admitted  that  infallibility  is  not  the  necessary 
logical  consequence  of  inspiration." 

God  can  use  fallible  instruments  through  which  to 
speak  his  infallible  word.  Inspiration  therefore  does 
not  indicate  infallibility  in  the  man  through  whom 
God  speaks,  but  the  words  spoken. 

The  evidences  when  properly  weighed,  prove 
beyond  dispute  that  he  was  a  man  inspired  of  God, 
to  open  up  the  last  dispensation  for  the  good  of  his 
fellow  man  without  fear  or  favor  from  any;  doing 
4;he  bidding  of  God,  leaving  the  result  with  him  as 
do  we. 


JOSEPH   SMITH  193 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

PROPHECY  ON  THE  REBELLION — CONCERNING  INDIAN  MASSA- 
CRES— STEPHEN  A.  DOUGLAS — His  OWN  NAME — His  OWN 
DEATH — EARTHQUAKES,  TEMPESTS,  TIDAL  WAVES,  AND 
GENERAL  UNREST  EVERYWHERE — CONCERNING  BRIGHAM 
YOUNG— SAYINGS  OF  JOSEPH  SMITH — "A  FAITHFUL 
FRIEND  TO  VIRTUE,  A  FEARLESS  FOE  TO  VICE" — PHRENO- 
LOGICAL INDICATIONS — ON  FREEING  THE  SLAVES — ON 
ESTABLISHING  NATIONAL  BANKS — ON  STATE  RIGHTS — 
ON  TEMPERANCE. 

BELOW  we  give  a  few  of  the  many  prophecies  of 
Joseph  Smith,  of  things  both  within  and  out  of  the 
Church. 

Of  the  many  prophecies  given  by  Joseph  Smith, 
one  given  December  25,  1832,  reads  as  follows : 

(A)    THE  REBELLION. 

Verily  thus  saith  the  Lord,  concerning  the  wars  that  wih 
shortly  come  to  pass,  beginning  at  the  rebellion  of  South 
Carolina,  which  will  eventually  terminate  in  the  death  and 
misery  of  many  souls.  The  days  will  come  that  war  will  be 
poured  out  upon  all  nations,  beginning  at  that  place;  for 
behold,  the  Southern  States  shall  be  divided  against  the 
Northern  States,  and  the  Southern  States  will  call  on  other 
nations,  even  the  nation  of  Great  Britain,  as  it  is  called,  and 
they  shall  also  call  upon  other  nations,  in  order  to  defend 
themselves  against  other  nations;  and  thus  war  shall  be 
poured  out  upon  all  nations.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  after 
many  days,  slaves  shall  rise  up  against  their  masters,  who 
shall  be  marshaled  and  disciplined  for  war.  And  it  shall 
come  to  pass  also,  that  the  remnants  [Indians]  who  are  left 
of  the  land  will  marshal  themselves,  and  shall  become  exceed- 
ing angry,  and  shall  vex  the  Gentiles  with  a  sore  vexation; 
and  thus,  with  the  sword,  and  by  bloodshed,  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth  shall  mourn;  and  with  famine,  and  plague,  and 


194  UOSEPH  SMITH 

earthquakes,  and  the  thunder  of  heaven,  and  the  fierce  and  vivid 
lightning  also,  shall  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  be  made  to  feel 
the  wrath  and  indignation,  and  chastening  hand  of  an  Almighty 
God,  until  the  consumption  decreed,  hath  made  a  full  end  of  all 
nations;  that  the  cry  of  the  Saints,  and  the  blood  of  the  Saints, 
shall  cease  to  come  up  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of  Sabaoth, 
from  the  earth,  to  be  avenged  of  their  enemies.  Whereforet 
stand  ye  in  holy  places,  and  be  not  moved,  until  the  day  of  the 
Lord  come;  for  behold  it  cometh  quickly,  saith  the  Lord.  Amen. 

Concerning  this  event  Joseph  Smith  wrote  January 
4,  1833,  thirteen  days  after  the  revelation  was  given, 
to  Mr.  N.  E.  Seaton,  editor  of  a  newspaper  at  Roches- 
ter, New  York,  as  follows : 

And  now  I  am  prepared  to  say  by  the  authority  of  Jesus 
Christ,  that  not  many  years  shall  pass  away  before  the  United 
States  shall  present  such  a  scene  of  bloodshed  as  has  not  a 
parallel  in  the  history  of  our  nation. 

April  3,  1843,  he  declared  publicly  that  he  had  been 
shown  concerning  the  war  and  where  it  would  begin. 
The  statement  is  as  follows : 

I  prophesy  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  God,  that  the  commence- 
ment of  the  difficulties  which  will  cause  much  bloodshed,  pre- 
vious to  the  earning  of  the  Son  of  Man,  will  be  in  South  Carolina 
(it  probably  may  arise  through  the  slave  question).  This  a 
voice  declared  to  me  while  I  was  praying  earnestly  on  this  sub- 
ject December  25,  1832.— Mormonism,  by  Elder  Hyde,  p.  174. 

Let  it  be  remembered  that  Mr.  Hyde  was  an  enemy 
of  the  Latter  Day  Saints  and  wrote  a  book  against 
the  Church,  and  in  .order  to  prove  that  Joseph  Smith 
was  a  false  prophet  referred  to  this  revelation.  His 
book  was  published  in  1857. 

Many  persons  have  tried  to  show  that  this  revela- 
tion was  written  since  the  war  to  suit  the  facts,  but 
their  effort  in  this  direction  only  makes  the  truth  more 
apparent.  The  revelation  was  published  as  far  away 


JOSEPH  SMITH  195 

as  Liverpool,  England,  as  early  as  1851,  in  a  pamphlet 
entitled  The  Pearl  of  Great  Price,  many  copies  of 
which  are  yet  extant. 

Ann  Scott  Davis,  who  died  recently  at  Lyons,  Wis- 
consin, had  the  original  manuscript  in  her  possession 
in  the  winter  of  1838-39  and  carried  it  concealed 
about  her  person.  Her  testimony  appeared  a  few 
years  ago  in  a  magazine  published  by  the  Church, 
called  the  Autumn  Leaves.  James  Mulholland  was 
Joseph  Smith's  private  secretary,  and  during  the 
persecution  which  arose  in  Missouri;  partly,  no  doubt, 
because  the  people  of  that  State  who  were  slave- 
holders feared  the  Latter  Day  Saints  would  free  or 
try  to  free  their  slaves,  it  was  thought  best  by  Joseph 
Smith  to  give  the  manuscript  to  his  secretary,  who  in 
turn  placed  it  in  the  hands  of  his  sister-in-law,  Ann 
Scott. 

We  wish  here  to  digress  a  little  long  enough  to 
notice  the  thought  that  the  "Latter  Day  Saints  would 
probably  free  the  Missouri  slaves."  While  the  Latter 
Day  Saints  were  wholly  and  entirely  opposed  to 
slavery,  and  doubtless  in  private  often  opposed  it 
when  talking  with  their  neighbors,  yet  they  made  no 
public  effort  at  that  time  to  liberate  them  only  such 
as  they  owned  themselves.  From  the  first  the  Church 
has  denied  that  they  had  any  intention  of  the  kind, 
because  slavery  was  then  sanctioned  by  the  consti- 
tution in  certain  States,  Missouri  being  one  of  them. 
The  members  of  the  Church  were  very  careful  to 
observe  the  law  of  the  land,  and  more  especially  on 
this  point  when  they  lived  in  a  slave  State.  One  of 
the  articles  of  faith  reads : 


196  JOSEPH  SMITH 

We  believe  it  just  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  nations  of  the 
earth,  and  warn  the  righteous  to  save  themselves  from  the  cor- 
ruption of  the  world;  but  we  do  not  believe  it  right  to  interfere 
with  bond -servants,  neither  preach  the  gospel  to,  nor  baptize 
them,  contrary  to  the  will  and  wish  of  their  masters,  nor  to 
meddle  with,  or  influence  them  in  the  least  to  cause  them  to  be 
dissatisfied  with  their  situations  in  this  life,  thereby  jeopardiz- 
ing the  lives  of  men ;  such  interference  we  believe  to  be  unlaw- 
ful and  unjust,  and  dangerous  to  the  peace  of  every  government 
allowing  human  beings  to  be  held  in  servitude. — Doctrine  and 
Covenants  112:  12. 

This  exhibits  much  wisdom  on  the  part  of  the 
Church,  that  they  would  abide  the  law  of  the  land 
until  such  time  as  God  saw  fit  to  overthrow  that 
which  was  so  manifestly  wrong.  They  could  not  do 
otherwise.  Nor  did  they,  though  their  hearts  were 
often  pained  to  see  human  beings  in  servitude  to  their 
fellow  man.  It  was  doubtless  this  painful  sight  that 
caused  Joseph  Smith  in  the  greatness  of  his  heart 
and  in  compassion  for  the  slaves  to  "pray  earnestly 
over  the  matter"  on  December  25,  1832,  and  it  was 
then  that  the  Lord  revealed  unto  him  the  foregoing 
information.  It  will  be  remembered  that  but  a  few 
years  before  that  South  Carolina  had  sought  to  with- 
draw from  the  Union  but  was  compelled  by  law  .to 
abandon  that  idea.  It  has  been  said  that  it  took  no 
inspiration  to  tell  that  "slaves  would  rise  up  against 
their  masters,"  but  the  reader  will  notice  that  at  that 
very  time  the  matter  had  been  settled  by  constitu- 
tional law  and  it  was  not  likely  that  one  little  State 
should  again  rebel  against  a  great  nation.  Slaves 
rising  up  against  their  masters  may  also  include  the 
Cubans,  the  Filipinos,  the  Boers,  and  even  the  labor- 
ing men  in  our  own  country  to-day.  Or,  it  may  even 


JOSEPH  SMITH  197 

include  the  money  men  who  are  in  bondage  to  the 
unions. 

Returning  to  the  main  point,  let  us  notice  how  the 
Saints  were  misunderstood  on  the  slavery  question 
and  incidentally  observe  that  there  probably  was 
such  a  revelation. 

The  following  from  Zion's  JZnsign  of  September  30, 
1897,  taken  from  the  Kansas  City  Journal,  of  Sep- 
tember 20,  1897,  proves  my  conclusion  correct  as  to 
the  reason  why  the  Saints  were  driven  from  Missouri : 

SIXTY-YEAR-OLD  PAPER. 

LEXINGTON,  Missouri,  September  20,  1897.— Doctor  Minos 
Adams,  of  Lexington,  lives  in  a  house  that  once  belonged  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Aull,  the  founder  of  the  seminary  of  that  name 
in  Lexington.  A  few  days  ago  he  found  in  the  attic  a  news- 
paper dated  June  30,  1836,  called  the  Far  West,  edited  by  Peter 
H.  Burnett  (afterward  governor  of  California).  Its  place  of 
issue  was  Liberty,  Clay  County.  It  was  a  copy  that  belonged  to 
James  Aull,  who  was  afterward  murdered  in  his  store  in  Chihua- 
hua by  Mexicans.  There  is  an  account  of  a  public  meeting,  held 
to  warn  the  Mormons  that  if  they  do  not  leave  Clay  County 
"civil  war  was  inevitable."  Among  the  reasons  given  are  the 
following:  "They  are  Eastern  men,  whose  manners,  habits, 
customs,  and  even  dialect,  are  essentially  different  from  our 
own;  they  are  nonslaveholders,  and  opposed  to  slavery,  which 
in  this  peculiar  period,  when  abolition  has  reared  its  deformed 
and  haggard  visage  in  our  land,  is  well  calculated  to  excite  deep 
and  abiding  prejudice  in  any  community  where  slavery  is  tol- 
erated and  practiced."  The  chairman  was  John  Bird,  who  was 
called  on  motion  of  Doctor  Woodson  J.  Moss;  the  secretary  was 
John  F.  Doherty,  called  on  motion  of  Colonel  William  T.  Wood. 
On  motion  of  Colonel  William  T.  Wood  the  preamble  and  reso- 
lutions were  unanimously  adopted.  Now  known  as  Judge 
Wood,  brother  of  the  late  Doctor  Joseph  Wood,  the  eminent 
physician  of  Kansas  City,  William  T.  Wood  is  still  living  in 
Lexington,  partly  paralyzed.  Miss  Ryland,  a  granddaughter  of 
Governor  Burnett,  is  at  this  time  visiting  in  Lexington. 


198  JOSEPH  SMITH 

This  indicates  very  plainly  the  feelings  of  the  Mis- 
souri people.  By  this  it  will  be  seen  that  they  mis- 
understood the  Church  in  that  as  well  as  other  things. 
Their  feelings  grew  more  and  more  bitter  and  finally 
after  manipulating  elections  and  the  legislature, 
expelled  from  the  State  by  force  of  arms  and  by 
order  of  the  governor  those  who  had  done  them  no 
harm  nor  had  any  idea  of  doing  so.  However, 
because  of  this  feeling  on  the  part  of  Missouri,  many 
men,  women,  and  children  lost  their  lives,  much 
property  was  burned  or  destroyed  for  the  very  same 
reason  that  so  many  lost  their  lives  in  the  Rebellion 
twenty-two  years  after. 

All  of  this  indicates  that  such  a  revelation  existed 
among  the  Saints  long  before  the  Rebellion.  It  was 
published  in  Washington,  District  of  Columbia,  in 
1853,  by  O.  Pratt.  Also  Mr.  Beadle  and  others  who 
opposed  the  Church  referred  to  this  prophecy  to  show 
that  Mr.  Smith  was  a  false  prophet.  But  the  war  did 
come,  it  did  begin  in  South  Carolina,  and  slaves  did 
rise  up  against  their  masters. 

To  answer  whether  it  was  generally  thought  at  that 
time  that  war  would  come  of  the  slavery  question  we 
wish  now  to  show  from  probably  the  best  authority  in 
America  on  Congressional  matters,  that  between  1829 
and  1860  the  idea  of  secession  was  little  thought  of, 
but  during  that  time,  yes,  in  1832,  when  everybody 
thought  South  Carolina  would  not 'again  attempt  to 
secede,  Joseph  Smith  and  his  people  continued  to 
assert  that  war  was  inevitable  and  that  the  slaves 
would  be  freed. 

Let  us  hear  what  the  Honorable  James  G.  Blaine 
has  to  say  with  regard  to  whether  it  was  thought  in 


JOSEPH  SMITH  199 

the  United  States  that  war  would  come  of  it.  We 
copy  the  following  from  Twenty  Years  of  Congress, 
volume  1,  page  21 : 

With  the  settlement  of  the  Missouri  question  the  antislavery 
agitation  subsided  as  rapidly  as  it  had  arisen.  There  was  a  sec- 
ond *  surprise  to  thinking  men.  The  result  can,  however,  be 
readily  explained.  The  Northern  States  felt  that  they  had 
absolutely  secured  to  freedom  a  large  territory  north  of  Missouri. 
The  Southern  States  believed  that  they  had  secured  an  honora- 
ble understanding— outside  and  beyond  the  letter  of  the  law — 
that  new  States  south  of  the  Missouri  line  could  be  admitted 
with  slavery  if  they  desired.  The  great  political  parties  then 
dividing  the  country  accepted  the  result  and  for  the  next  twenty 
years  no  agitation  of  the  slavery  question  appeared  in  any  politi- 
cal convention  or  affected  any  consider  able  people. 

From  page  25,  same  volume,  we  copy:  "It  was 
plainly  seen  that  in  a  large  majority  of  the  free  States 
the  Abolitionists  had  as  yet  (1840)  made  no  impres- 
sion on  public  opinion." 

And  again  from  page  110,  same  volume: 
The  year  1853  was  politically  as  quiet  as  Monroe's  era  of  good 
feeling,  and  when  Congress  came  together  in  its  closing  month, 
the  president  dwelt  impressively  upon  the  danger  we  had  passed 
and  upon  the  blessings  that  were  in  store  for  us.  With  high 
praise  of  the  compromise  legislation  of  that  year  he  said:  "It 
had  given  renewed  vigor  to  our  institution  and  restored  a  sense 
of  repose  and  security  to  the  public  mind."  These  words  were 
addressed  to  the  Congress  on  the  fifth  day  of  December,  1853, 
and  it  would  be  uncandid  to  deny  that  even  in  the  South  were 
heartily  approved  by  a  large  majority  of  the  people,  perhaps  by 
a  majority  in  every  State. 

Although  the  slavery  question  had  "subsided  as 
quickly  as  it  arose,"  and  although  in  1840  the  Abo- 
litionists had  made  no  impression  on  public  opinion, 
and  although  a  sense  of  repose  and  security  had 
been  restored  to  a  large  * 'majority  in  every  State," 


200  JOSEPH    SMITH 

yet  notwithstanding  the  thinking  men  in  this  country 
had  really  thought  three  times  that  the  slavery  ques- 
tion was  settled,  Joseph  Smith  had  said  in  effect 
three  times  that  it  ivas  not  and  would  not  be  until  the 
Southern  States  should  be  divided  against  the  North- 
ern States  and  slaves  should  rise  up  against  their 
masters.  Let  the  old  soldiers  answer  whether  this 
prophecy  was  fulfilled  or  not. 

(B)     INDIAN    MASSACRES. 

One  point  in  the  above  deserves  notice  under  a 
separate  heading  and  that  is  the  Indian  massacres. 
The  language  of  the  prophecy  is  as  follows : 

And  it  shall  come  to  pass  also,  that  the  remnants  who  are 
left  of  the  land  [i.  e.,  the  Indians]  will  marshal  themselves, 
and  shall  become  exceeding  angry,  and  shall  vex  the  Gentiles 
with  a  sore  vexation. 

Many  Indian  massacres  had  occurred  previous  to 
1832,  when  this  prophecy  was  given,  but  none  of  any 
importance  since,  except  the  one  in  Minnesota  dur- 
ing the  Civil  War.  No  other  one  in  the  history  of 
our  country  could  well  compare  with  it  in  extent 
and  severity,  which  cost  the  Government  and  indi- 
viduals twenty-five  million  dollars.  According  to 
the  prophecy  the  negroes  were  marshaled  for  war, 
but  the  Indians  marshaled  themselves. 

In  a  little  booklet  published  by  George  Welsh, 
commissioner  of  immigration  of  Minnesota,  and 
distributed  at  the  recent  Corn  Show  in  Omaha, 
Nebraska,  is  the  following  on  page  5 : 

In  August,  1862,  while  our  strong  men  were  away  on 
Southern  battle-fields,  unexpectedly  and  without  a  moment's 
warning  came  an  outbreak  of  the  Sioux  Indians.  Helpless 
women  and  children  were  murdered,  homes  were  robbed  and 


JOSEPH    SMITH  201 

• 

burned,  and  the  story  of  the  terrible  massacre  makes  the 
saddest  pages  in  Minnesota's  history.  About  eight  hundred 
settlers  were  murdered  before  the  authorities  could  quell  the 
outbreak,  but  vigorous  action  resulted  in  the  capture  of  over 
two  thousand  Indians,  of*  whom  thirty-eight  were  hung  at 
Mankato  on  December  26,  1862. 

A  Writer  in  Indian  Massacres,  quoted  by  W.  W. 
Blair  in  Joseph  the  Seer,  page  187,  describes  that 
scene  as  follows : 

From  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  on  the  rock- 
bound  coast  of  New  England,  in  the  winter  of  1620,  until 
their  descendants  had  passed  the  center  of  the  continent,  and 
reached  the  lovely  plains  of  Minnesota,  no  exhibition  of  Indian 
character  had  so  afflicted  and  appalled  the  souls  of  humanity 
as  the  fearful  and  dreadful  massacre  perpetrated  by  them  in 
August,  1862. 

Let  the  thirty  thousand  inhabitants  that  fled  for 
their  lives  at  that  time  answer  whether  or  not 
Joseph  Smith  was  a  true  prophet.  What  bloodshed 
might  have  been  avoided  if  those  then  living  in 
Indian  countries  could  have  given  heed  to  the  word 
of  the  Lord  through  Joseph  Smith! 

(C)     CONCERNING    STEPHEN    A.    DOUGLAS. 

While  Stephen  A.  Douglas  was  district  judge  in 
Illinois,  before  he  was  elected  to  Congress,  Joseph 
Smith  prophesied  the  following  concerning  him : 

He  is  a  giant  in  intellect,  but  a  dwarf  in  stature,  that  he 
would  yet  run  for  president  of  the  United  States,  but  that  he 
would  never  reach  that  station;  that  he  would  occupy  a  con- 
spicuous place  in  the  councils  of  the  nation,...  and  that  in  his 
place  he  would  introduce  and  carry  out  some  of  the  most  gi- 
gantic measures  in  the  history  of  the  nation —  Did  he  not  get 
Andrew  Jackson's  fine  remitted  by  law,  a  thing  that  was  by  all 
considered  impossible?  Did  he  not  introduce  the  bills  for  the 
covering  of  Illinois  with  railroads,  without  one  cent  of  expense 


202  JOSEPH  SMITH 

to  the  general  government?  Under  his  management,  were  not 
the  Illinois  bonds  raised  from  a  condition  nearly  worthless  to  a 
value  nearly  par  with  currency?  Did  he  not  rule  in  and 
through  the  state  of  Illinois,  work  and  carry  out  its  destiny  for 
twenty  consecutive  years,  more  than  any  and  all  other  men 
together?  Was  he  not  always  one  of  the  greatest  men  in  the 
senate?  Did  he  not  do  more  for  the  line  of  compromise  on 
slavery  than  any  other  one  man?  .  .  .  Did  he  not  run  for  presi- 
dent and  get  defeated? — Palmyra  to  Independence,  pp.  313,  314, 

Let  the  reader  answer  the  above  questions  accord- 
ing to  the  facts  and  determine  for  himself  whether 
Joseph  Smith  was  a  true  prophet. 

(D)  HIS  OWN  NAME. 

Among  other  things,  he  said:  "My  name  should 
be  had  for  good  and  evil,  among  all  nations,  kin- 
dreds, and  tongues ;  or  that  it  should  be  both  good 
and  evil  spoken  of  among  all  people." — Church  His- 
tory, vol.  1,  pp.  12,  13. 

Will  the  reader  say  this  prophecy  has  not  been  ful- 
filled? Let  him  travel  the  world  over  and  let  him  see 
for  himself  that  Joseph  spoke  the  truth,  and  then 
decide  which  class  he  will  join. 

(E)  HIS  OWN  DEATH. 

On  parting  with  his  wife  at  Nauvoo  when  he  was 
falsely  arrested  and  placed  under  strong  protection 
by  Governor  Ford  to  guard  him  until  after  the  trial, 
he  told  her  that  he  would  never  see  his  family  again 
— that  his  work  was  done — that  he  was  going  to  rest 
— that  the  Church  would  be  broken  up  and  scattered, 
and  instructed  her  to  remain  with  the  family  at  Nau- 
voo, or  take  them  to  Kirtland,  Ohio.  (See  Joseph  the 
Seer,  p.  192.) 


JOSEPH  SMITH  203 

We  have  no  need  to  show  how  all  this  was  literally 
fulfilled.  The  most  casual  reader  is  sufficiently 
acquainted  with  the  facts  to  see  their  complete  ful- 
fillment. 

(F)  EARTHQUAKES,  TEMPESTS,  TIDAL  WAVES,  AND  GENERAL 
i  UNREST  AMONG  THE  PEOPLE. 

In  December,  1832,  he  prophesied  to  the  elders  of 
the  Church  that  after  they  had  borne  testimony  of 
the  truth,  and  where  they  had  been  rejected  God 
would  send  his  testimony  in  the  following  manner : 

After  your  testimony,  cometh  wrath  and  indignation  upon  the 
people;  for  after  your  testimony  cometh  the  testimony  of  earth- 
quakes, that  shall  cause  groanings  in  the  midst  of  her,  and  men 
shall  fall  upon  the  ground,  and  shall  not  be  able  to  stand.  And 
also  cometh  the  testimony  of  the  voice  of  thunderings,  and  the 
voice  of  lightnings,  and  the  voice  of  tempests,  and  the  voice  of 
the  waves  of  the  sea,  heaving  themselves  beyond  their  bounds. 
And  all  things  shall  be  in  commotion;  and  surely  men's  hearts 
shall  fail  them;  for  fear  shall  come  upon  all  people. — Doctrine 
and  Covenants  85:  25. 

Almost  every  daily  paper  published  in  the  last  fifty 
years  has  contained  one  or  more  testimonies  of  the 
truthfulness  of  this  prophecy.  We  therefore  deem  it 
unwise  to  make  further  comment  than  to  say,  if  the 
reader  has  not  noticed  these  things  heretofore  his 
time  might  be  profitably  spent  by  noting  the  number 
of  earthquakes,  tempests,  tidal  waves,  and  the  gen- 
eral unrest,  both  in  earth  and  sky,  in  the  future. 

(G)  HIS  PROPHECY  CONCERNING  BRIGHAM  YOUNG. 

SAN  BERNARDINO,  California,  February  4. 

Joseph  Thorn,  a  resident  of  San  Bernardino,  California,  being 

duly  sworn,  deposes  and  says:     "I  was  personally  acquainted 

with  Brigham  Young,  late    president  of   the  Utah    Mormon 

church,  and  knew  him  when  both  he  and  I  were  living  in  Nau- 


204  JOSEPH  SMITH 

voo,  Illinois,  and  I  heard  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.,  at  a  public  meeting 
in  a  grove  east  of  the  Temple  in  Nauvoo,  when  he  had  been 
reproving  said  Brigham  Young  for  taking  and  using  for  his  own 
private  purposes  church  money  without  authority,  say  of  him, 
'If  Brigham  Young  ever  leads  this  Church  he  will  lead  it  to 
hell/  This  he  said  with  great  emphasis. 

"JOSEPH  THORN." 

Sworn  and  subscribed  to  before  me  at  San  Bernardino  County, 
California,  this  fourth  day  of  February,  1884. 

E.  H.  MORSE,  Notary  Public. 

To  Whom  it  May  Concern:  Know  ye  that  I,  David  Dixon, 
now  resident  at  Riverside,  San  Bernardino  County,  California, 
was  personally  present  at  a  public  meeting  in  Nauvoo,  Illinois, 
before  the  building  of  the  Temple;  and  there  and  then  saw  and 
heard  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  while  preaching,  raise  his  hand 
(pointing  to  Brigham  Young  who  was  in  the  stand  with  him) 
saying:  "Talk  about  leading  this  Church ;  here  is  Bro.  Brigham, 
if  he  ever  leads  this  Church,  he  will  lead  it  to  hell."  There  were 
more  than  a  thousand  people  at  the  time;  several  of  whom,  I, 
David  Dixon,  know  are  now  living  and  heard  him  say  it. 

DAVID  DIXON. 

In  witness  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand,  and  affixed 
my  official  seal,  at  my  office  in  the  county  of  San  Bernardino, 
California,  on  this  twenty-ninth  day  of  December,  1883. 

W.  W.  SMITH,  Notary  Public. 
—The  Salt  Land  Heresies,  pp.  22,  23. 

"We  have  not  space  to  give  others  of  Joseph  Smith's 
prophecies,  of  which  there  are  many.  As  we  said  at 
the  beginning,  we  can  only  hope  to  merely  introduce 
this  subject  to  the  reader.  We  think,  therefore,  these 
few  will  suffice.  Of  the  hundreds  of  his  prophecies  of 
things  both  in  and  out  of  the  Church,  all  have  been 
fulfilled,  or  will  be  in  their  time. 

SAYINGS   OP  JOSEPH   SMITH. 

"God  requires  the  will  of  his  creatures  to  be  swal- 
lowed up  in  his  will." 


JOSEPH  SMITH  205 

6 'After  all  that  has  been  said  the  greatest  and  most 
important  duty  is,  to  preach  the  gospel." 

''Equal  rights  and  privileges  is  my  motto  and  one 
man  is  as  good  as  another  if  he  behaves  himself  as 
well,  without  regard  to  distinction  of  any  official 
nature." 

"God  will  not  acknowledge  that  which  he  has  not 
called,  ordained,  and  chosen." 

"Oh  my  God!  How  long  will  this  monster  intem- 
perance find  its  victims  on  earth?  Methinks  until  the 
earth  is  swept  with  the  wrath  and  indignation  of  God, 
and  Christ's  kingdom  becomes  universal.  O  come, 
Lord  Jesus,  and  out  thy  work  short  in  righteous- 
ness." 

"It  signifies  then,  that  the  ordinances  must  be  kept 
in  the  very  way  God  has  appointed;" 

"Tyranny,  usurpation,  and  to  take  men's  rights, 
ever  has  been  and  ever  shall  be  banished  from  my 
heart." 

"I  love  friendship  and  truth." 

"I  love  virtue  and  law." 

"I  love  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob." 

"I  care  not  for  man." 

"I  speak  boldly  and  faithful  and  with  authority." 

"God  Almighty  is  my  shield." 

"I  shall  not  be  sacrificed  until  my  time  comes,  and 
then  I  shall  be  offered  freely." 

"I  thank  God  that  I  have  the  honor  to  lead  so  vir- 
tuous and  honest  a  people." 

"I  am  a  faithful  friend  to  virtue  and  a  fearless  foe 
to  vice." 

"Make  honor  the  standard  with  all  men." 

"Be  sure  good  is  rendered  for  evil  in  all  cases." 


206  JOSEPH  SMITH 

"Intelligence  is  the  pathway  to  God." 
"Seek  wisdom  from  the  best  books." 
"The  best  of  books  says,  'God  has  made  of  one 
blood  all  nations.'  " 

CHARACTER  SKETCH  OP  JOSEPH   SMITH. 

Character  sketch  of  Joseph  Smith,  as  given  by 
Professor  Hugo  Campbell,  Toronto,  Ontario,  October 
4,  1897,  from  a  photograph  placed  in  his  hands  by 
Elder  Fred  Gregory.  Sketch  was  made  without 
knowledge  who  the  original  of  the  photograph  was. 

If  the  picture  is  true  and  not  flattering,  as  steel  engravings 
often  appear  to  be,  the  person  must  have  possessed  much  more 
than  ordinary  mental  power  and  brillianoy.  The  perceptive 
faculties  are  very  prominently  marked.  Ready  cognizance  of 
facts;  scholarly  talent;  a  retentive  memory  and  brilliant 
descriptive  power,  are  qualities  for  which  he  should  be  dis- 
tinguished. The  head  shows  breadth  enough  to  give  much 
energy  and  force  of  character.  Opportunity,  education,  and 
circumstances  might  make  of  him  an  orator  and  statesman.  He 
possessed  wonderful  persuasive  power;  such  a  one  could  lead, 
influence,  and  impress  the  minds  of  others.  He  has  much  char- 
acter; a  high  wrought  organization;  fine  quality;  can  be 
extremely  tender,  gentle,  kind,  and  affectionate,  or  stern, 
according  to  circumstances;  but  the  natural  leanings  are  much 
in  the  direction  of  the  good  and  the  true. 

If  such  a  nature  is  redeemed  and  devoted  to  the  service  of  the 
truth,  the  good  results  would  be  far  reaching.  Only  the  worst 
of  circumstances  with  treachery  on  the  part  of  those  he  has 
trusted,  could  make  him  a  bad  man. 

At  the  age  when  this  picture  was  taken,  the  lines  in  the  face 
are  not  so  deeply  marked  as  to  show  clearly  the  direction  given 
to  the  faculties.  Such  a  one  requires  only  favoring  environment 
to  become  a  remarkable  man  and  a  power  for  good.  If  good, 
then  very  good  and  brilliant;  for  he  is  highly  gifted  mentally. 
He  possesses  wonderful  social  magnetism  and  is  able  to  make 
his  influence  extensively  felt.  He  resembles  his  mother  and 


JOSEPH  SMITH  207 

possesses  much  of  her  intuitions  and  instincts.  The  musical 
faculty  is  not  easy  to  read  in  a  picture;  so  far  as  can  be  seen,  it 
should  be  of  a  high  order,  and  his  tastes  are  decidedly  literary 
and  artistic. 

The  phrenological  examination  of  Professor  Camp- 
bell is  in  harmony  with  what  the  coworkers  of  the 
latter-day  Seer  have  claimed  for  him. 

AGAINST   CHURCH  AND   STATE   UNION. 

Congress  with  president  as  executor  is  as  almighty  in  its 
sphere  as  Jehovah  is  in  his. 

I  have  of  late  had  repeated  solicitations  to  have  something  to 
do  in  relation  to  the  political  farce  about  dividing  the  country, 
but  as  my  ideas  revolt  at  the  idea  of  having  anything  to  do  with 
politics,  I  have  declined  in  every  instance  having  anything  to 
do  on  the  subject.  I  think  it  would  be  well  for  politicians  to 
regulate  their  own  affairs.  I  wish  to  be  left  alone  that  I  may 
attend  strictly  to  the  spiritual  welfare  of  Church.— Joseph  the 
Prophet,  p.  417. 

We  believe  in  being  subject  to  kings,  presidents,  rulers,  and 
magistrates,  in  obeying,  honoring,  and  sustaining  the  law. — One 
of  the  articles  of  faith  written  by  Joseph  Smith. 

HOW  TO  FREE  THE  SLAVES  WITHOUT  THE  LOSS  OF 
BLOOD. 

He  advised  in  1844  that  the  slave  States  "abolish 
slavery  by  1850,"  and  "pray  Congress  to  pay  every 
man  a  reasonable  price  for  his  slaves." 

He  further  said:  "Break  off  the  shackles  from  the 
poor  black  man,  and  hire  them  to  labor  like  other 
human  beings." — Times  and  Seasons,  vol.  5,  p.  532. 

In  a  book  entitled  Figures  of  the  Past,  page  397,  is 
the  following  by  Josiah  Quincy,  from  which  book  we 
have  quoted  before : 

Smith  recognized  the  curse  and  iniquity  of  slavery,  though  he 
opposed  the  methods  of  the  Abolitionists.  His  plan  was  for  the 


208  JOSEPH  SMITH 

nation  to  pay  for  the  slaves  from  the  sale  of  the  public  lands. 
...  It  might  be  worth  while  to  remark  that  Smith's  plan  was 
publicly  advocated  eleven  years  later  by  one  who  has  mixed  so 
much  practical  shrewdness  with  his  lofty  philosophy.  In  1855, 
when  men's  minds  had  been  moved  to  their  depths  on  a  question 
of  slavery,  Mr.  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  declared  that  it  should  be 
met  in  accordance  "with  the  interest  of  the  South  and  with  the 
settled  conscience  of  the  North.  It  is  really  not  a  great  task,  a 
great  fight  for  this  country  to  accomplish,  to  buy  that  property 
of  the  planter,  as  the  British  nation  bought  the  West  Indian 
slaves."  He  further  says  that  the  "United  States  will  be  brought 
to  give  every  inch  of  their  public  lands  for  a  purpose  like  this." 
We,  who  can  look  back  upon  the  terrible  cost  of  the  patricidal 
war  which  put  an  end  to  slavery,  now  say  that  such  a  solution  of 
the  difficulty  would  have  been  worthy  a  Christian  statesman. 
But  if  the  retired  scholar  was  in  advance  of  his  time  when  he 
advocated  this  disposition  of  the  public  property  in  1855,  what 
shall  I  say  of  the  political  and  religiojs  leader  [Joseph  Smith] 
who  had  committed  himself  in  print,  as  well  as  in  conversation, 
to  the  same  course  in  1844.  If  the  atmosphere  of  men's  opin- 
ions was  stirred  by  such  a  proposition  when  war-clouds  were 
discernible  in  the  sky,  was  it  not  a  statesmanlike  work  eleven 
years  earlier,  when  the  heavens  looked  tranquil  and  beneficent? 
(See  Joseph  the  Seer.) 

NATIONAL  BANKS. 

Long  before  the  United  States  saw  the  necessity  of 
establishing  national  banks  in  every  State,  Joseph 
Smith  advocated  such  an  idea.  In  a  book  entitled 
Joseph  the  Seer,  page  197,  we  find  the  following 
as  the  words  of  Joseph  Smith  and  the  comment  of 
the  writer  of  that  book:  "For  the  accommodation  of 
the  people  in  every  State  and  Territory,  let  Congress 
show  their  wisdom  by  granting  a  national  bank,  with 
branches  in  each  State  and  Territory  .  .  .  and  the 
bills  to  be  par  throughout  the  nation.  The  country 
will  then  be  full  of  money  and  confidence." 


JOSEPH   SMITH  209 

Of  the  above  the  writer  comments  as  follows: 
"Our  nation  was  forced  to  come  to  this  at  last,  but 
Joseph  had  this  wisdom  many  years  in  advance  of 
the  wise  men  of  the  nation  as  he  did  upon  many 
other  questions.  .  .  .  Nothing  short  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  by  revelation  and  prophecy,  could  impart  such 
facts  and  information,  and  so  plainly  make  known 
the  future." 

OF  STATE  RIGHTS. 

The  prophet  then  talked  of  the  details  of  government.  He 
thought  that  the  "number  of  members  admitted  to  the  Lowef 
House  of  the  National  Legislature  should  be  reduced.  A  crowd 
only  darkened  council  and  impeded  business.  A  member  to 
every  half  million  population  would  be  ample.  The  powers  of 
the  President  should  be  increased.  He  should  have  authority  to 
put  down  rebellion  in  a  State  without  waiting  for  a  request  of 
any  governor,  for  it  might  happen  that  the  governor  himself 
would  be  the  leader  of  the  rebels."  It  is  needless  to  remark  how 
later  events  showed  the  executive  weakness  that  Smith  pointed 
out — a  weakness  that  caused  thousands  of  lives  and  millions  of 
treasure. — Josiah  Quincy,  in  Figures  of  the  Past,  p.  399. 

OP  TEMPERANCE. 

In  a  revelation  given  to  the  Church  by  Joseph 
Smith  on  Wednesday,  February  27,  1833,  we  find 
the  following: 

Behold,  verily  thus  saith  the  Lord  unto  you,  In  consequence 
of  evils  and  designs  which  do  and  will  exist  in  the  hearts  of  con- 
spiring men  in  the  last  days,  I  have  warned  you,  and  forewarn 
you,  by  giving  unto  you  this  word  of  wisdom  by  revelation,  that 
inasmuch  as  any  man  drinketh  wine  or  strong  drink  among  you, 
behold,  it  is  not  good,  neither  meet  in  the  sight  of  your  Father, 
only  in  assembling  yourselves  together,  to  offer  up  your  sacra- 
ments before  him.  And,  behold,  this  should  be  wine;  yea, 
pure  wine  of  the  grape  of  the  vine,  of  your  own  make.  And 
again,  strong  drinks  are  not  for  the  belly,  but  for  the  washing 


210  JOSEPH  SMITH 

of  your  bodies.  And  again,  tobacco  is  not  for  the  body,  neither 
for  the  belly,  and  is  not  good  for  man,  but  is  an  herb  for  bruises, 
and  all  sick  cattle,  to  be  used  with  judgment  and  skill.  And 
again,  hot  drinks  are  not  for  the  body  or  belly. — Church  History, 
vol.  1,  p.  279. 

The  "Good  Templars"  and  "Woman's  Christian 
Temperance  Union"  are  lauded  to  the  skies,  most  of 
which  they  are  worthy,  but  what  shall  we  say  of 
Joseph  Smith  and  his  people  who  were  far  in  advance 
of  those  societies  both  in  time  and  matter?  In  1833 
when  the  ministers  generally  thought  they  could 
preach  better  when  aided  by  a  little  liquor,  and  the 
people  thought  so,  too,  Mr.  Smith  and  his  people  came 
out  squarely  against  it  and  stood  for  total  abstinence. 


JOSEPH  SMITH  211 


CHAPTER   IX. 

FROM  THE  "low  A  STATE  REGISTER" — "COUNCIL  BLUFFS  GLOBE" 
— "LUCAS  LEDGER" — "MISSOURI  VALLEY  NEWS" — "INDE- 
PENDENCE SENTINEL" — "INDEPENDENCE  PROGRESS" — "KAN- 
SAS CITY  STAR" — "KANSAS  CITY  TIMES" — "PLAIN  DEALER" 
—"CLEVELAND  HERALD" — CHIEF  JUSTICE  ARMOUR,  CANADA 
—"EVENING  NEWS,"  SYDNEY,  AUSTRALIA— THE  SMOOT  INVES- 
TIGATION— CONCLUSIONS. 

WE  GIVE  below  a  few  clippings  from  comparatively 
fair  newspapers  which  dare  to  state  the  facts  as  they 
know  them.  We  could  fill  many  pages  with  clippings 
now  in  our  possession,  but  these  will  suffice.  They 
are  not  the  best  we  have,  but  they  are  about  the 
average.  If  the  reader  will  notice  closely  he  will 
scarcely  live  a  year  without  seeing  many  such.  We 
give  these  clippings  from  places  where  the  head- 
quarters and  centers  of  the  Church  are  located,  so  that 
the  reader  may  see  what  the  Latter  Day  Saint  faith 
is  at  home  and  where  it  has  an  opportunity  to  develop 
its  principles.  By  these  the  reader  will  discover  the 
scope  of  liberality,  the  holiness  of  life,  the  freedom 
from  political  bias  and  religious  tyranny.  Why, 
then,  should  a  society  that  stands  for  freedom  of 
thought,  breadth  of  education,  and  the  " survival  of 
the  fittest"  in  all  things,  be  so  vigorously  opiposed? 
The  Reorganized  Church  claims  the  distinction  of 
maintaining  the  only  nonsectarian  college  maintained 
by  any  church  in  the  country.  This  ought  to  -be  suf- 
ficient proof  to  any  one  that  the  Church  stands  for 
education,  and  being  a  nonsectarian  school  is  suffi- 


212  JOSEPH  SMITH 

cient  answer  to  the  old  assertion  that  Latter  Day 
Saintism  means  tyranny.  The  Reorganization  is  but 
following  out  the  teaching  of  Joseph  Smith  in  this 
matter.  Let  the  reader  judge  of  his  character  by  the 
work  of  this  school — Graceland  College,  of  Lamoni, 
Iowa. 

IOWA. 

The  Reorganized  Mormon  Church  under  President  Smith  not 
only  refrains  from  indorsing  polygamy,  but  is  perhaps  the  most 
alert  and  active  enemy  that  the  abomination  has.  As  a  church 
under  this  president,  it  is  as  much  entitled  to  recognition  and 
public  favor  as  any  of  the  many  churches  of  the  day,  so  far  as 
honesty  of  purpose  and  action  are  concerned.— Iowa  State  Reg- 
ister, March  20,  1887. 

From  the  same  paper,  October  17,  1892,  we  copy 
the  following: 

The  fact  is  it  would  be  impossible  to  have  a  more  quiet,  devout 
assemblage  than  has  occupied  the  grove  on  the  hill  for  the  last 
sixteen  days. 

This  was  written  of  a  Latter  Day  Saint  reunion 
held  on  the  hill  at  Logan,  Iowa,  about  that  time. 
The  following  appeared  in  the  Council  Bluffs  (Iowa) 
Globe,  October  13,  1892 : 

At  Logan  to-morrow  the  Latter  Day  Saints  will  decide  upon 
the  next  place  of  meeting  for  next  year.  About  fifteen  thousand 
people  attended  the  meeting  at  Logan,  and  it  will  be  seen  that 
the  city  that  secures  the  meeting  captures  a  big  prize.  Council 
Bluffs  will  make  an  effort  to  have  the  next  meeting  held  here. 
The  Chautauqua  grounds  are  especially  fitted  for  such,  and  the 
city  could  easily  care  for  this  large  assemblage.  The  people  of 
Council  Bluffs  will  gladly  welcome  them  and  the  Globe  bespeaks 
for  them  a  generous  and  kind  treatment  in  the  event  of  their 
coming.  The  Latter  Day  Saints  can  rest  assured  that  if  they 
honor  Council  Bluffs  by  holding  their  next  annual  reunion  here, 


JOSEPH  SMITH  213 

and  it  is  an  honor  to  the  city  to  be  the  scene  of  the  meeting  of 
such  a  body  of  respectable  citizens,  they  will  be  given  the  best  of 
treatment.  « 

The  following  concerning  the  same  gathering  was 
published  in  the  editorial  columns  of  the  Missouri 
Valley  News: 

These  Latter  Day  Saints  in  camp  in  our  county  for  their 
annual  harvest  of  souls,  point  with  pride  to  their  open  creed  as 
evidence  of  their  true  Christian  spirit,  and  the  world  can  not  but 
say:  "Ye  have  done  well,  abide  with  us."  Their  devotions  are 
genuine.  Their  moral  lives  of  the  best.  Their  presses  are  mes- 
sengers bearing  good  tidings.  Their  loyalty  leads  them  to  place 
the  national  colors  over  their  holy  altars.  .  .  .  Tried  by  these 
signs  the  Latter  Day  Saints  are  worthy  of  a  welcome  as  one  of 
the  forces  that  will  at  times  hold  high  the  starry  banner,  honor 
the  powers  that  in  creating  it,  gave  them  a  home  where  freedom 
of  conscience  is  the  keystone  of  all  liberty,  of  all  Christianity, 
and  of  all  civilization. — Palmyra  to  Independence,  pp.  298,  299. 

The  Lucas  Ledger  of  June  27,  1902,  contains  an 
account  of  the  recent  Lamoni  Stake  conference  held 
at  Lucas,  Iowa.  The  write-up  is  good  and  fair. 
Among  other  things  the  Ledger  says  in  speaking  of 
the  Saints : 

These  people  are  earnest  and  unflinching  in  their  efforts  to 
uphold  moral  principles  and  right  living  with  all  mankind. 

MISSOURI. 

The  Reorganized  Church  of  Latter  Day  Saints  is  holding  an 
annual  conference  of  the  world  here  at  the  present  time.  .  .  . 
The  people  who  have  come  have  the  appearance  of  honest,  zeal- 
ous, faithful  men,  engaged  in  what  they  conceive  to  be  the 
propagation  of  great  truths  that  have  been  confided  to  their  care 
and  been  made  their  special  responsibilities.  They  teach  the 
cardinal  virtues  of  the  Christian  religion  and  such  as  the  ortho- 
dox churches  hold  and  believe.  They  claim  a  new  revelation 
and  that  the  day  of  special  revelation  is  not  past.  They  invite 
investigation  and  are  open  and  candid  in  their  lives  and  conduct. 


214  JOSEPH  SMITH 

It  is  no  longer  excusable  to  charge  upon  the  Reorganized 
Church,  sympathy  with  the  polygamists.  They  regret  the  Salt 
Lake  dogma  with  loathing  and  disgust,  and  teach  and  keep  the 
marriage  relation  as  sacred  as  other  Protestant  people.  The 
sobriety  of  the  Mormon  people  of  this  community  and  their 
testimony  against  all  forms  of  dissipation  does  them  great  honor 
and  ought  to  silence  the  tongue  of  ignorant  criticism. — Inde- 
pendence (Missouri)  Sentinel,  April  7,  1888. 

From  the  Independence  (Missouri)  Progress,  for 
October,  1897,  we  clip  the  following: 

It  is  not  the  province  of  the  Progress  to  engage  in  any  sort  of 
religious  discussion  or  controversy,  but  right  is  right  and  hurts 
no  one.  There  is  over  the  world  a  misapprehension  of  the  peo- 
ple called  Mormons  here  in  Independence.  They  do  not  relish 
the  name  of  Mormon  although  they  accept  the  Book  of  Mormon 
as  a  part  of  Holy  Writ.  They  prefer  to  be  called  Latter  Day 
Saints  of  the  Reorganized  Church  of  Jesus  Christ.  They  call 
themselves  Saints  for  short.  They  are  bitterly  antagonistic  to 
the  Mormons  of  Utah.  The  Mormons  of  Independence  believe 
in  Joseph  Smith  but  not  in  Brigham  Young,  whom  they  detest 
as  an  apostate  and  despise  as  a  deceiver.  When  Joseph  Smith 
was  killed,  the  Mormon  Church  broke  into  fragments.  The 
ambitious  Brigham  Young  got  a  following  and  went  to  Utah 
where  he  perverted  the  original  doctrine,  introducing  among 
other  unholy  practices  that  of  polygamy,  utterly  denounced  by 
all  Mormons  at  Independence.  The  Mormons  in  this  city  are  a 
quiet,  orderly,  industrious  people,  enjoying  the  good  opinion  of 
their  Gentile  neighbors,  from  whom  they  differ  mainly  in  their 
acceptance  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  Of  course  there  is  not  the 
slightest  fellowship  between  the  communicants  of  the  Mormon 
Church  and  those  of  other  churches  here,  but  as  neighbors  there 
is  no  friction.  The  Mormon  children  in  the  public  schools 
reflect  excellent  home  training.  The  Saints  here  are  good  citi- 
zens and  no  objection  could  be  alleged  against  them  save  their 
adherence  to  the  Book  of  Mormon,  regarded  by  all  except  Mor- 
mons as  a  work  of  fiction. 

The  following  from  the  editorial  columns  of  the 
daily  Kansas  City  Star,  for  February  9,  1898,  will  be 


JOSEPH  SMITH  215 

read  with  much  satisfaction  by  every  one  who  pos- 
sesses a  sense  of  justice  and  a  love  for  truth : 

Joseph  Smith,  president  of  the  Church  of  Latter  Day  Saints 
of  Jesus  Christ,  lately  took  occasion  to  deny  in  the  most  solemn 
manner,  as  he  has  often  done  before,  any  responsibility  on  the 
part  of  his  father,  "Joseph  the  Seer,"  for  the  doctrine  of 
polygamy  as  held  by  the  Mormon  Church  in  Utah.  He  states 
that  it  was  not  until  eight  years  after  his  father's  death  that  the 
doctrine  and  the  practice  of  plural  marriages  was  introduced. 
President  Smith  speaks  in  this  matter  not  from  tradition  and  a 
desire  to  vindicate  his  father's  memory,  but  from  recollection  of 
the  constitution  and  practice  of  the  original  Mormon  Church  in 
his  youth.  His  high  personal  reputation  and  sincerity  of  char- 
acter, well  established  in  the  communities  where  he  has  lived  all 
his  life,  should  lend  weight  to  his  words. 

We  take  the  following  from  the  Kansas  City  (Mis- 
souri) Times,  April  11,  1898: 

CREED  BASED  ON  THE  BIBLE. 

Easter  Sunday  was  not  observed  at  the  Latter  Day  Saints' 
conference  in  Independence  [Missouri]  further  than  to  incor- 
porate an  anthem  and  a  few  extra  numbers  in  the  song  service. 
The  chief  event,  both  with  the  attending  members  and  visiting 
strangers,  was  the  address  of  the  forenoon,  delivered  by  Joseph 
Smith,  chief  of  the  presidency  of  three  and  head  of  the  Church. 
This  is  the  first  time  that  the  most  distinguished  of  all  of  the 
officials  had  spoken  publicly  at  any  length  since  the  opening  of 
the  conference,  and  the  interest  taken  in  his  address  was  evi- 
denced by  the  fact  that  a  count  made  as  the  audience  was  dis- 
persing showed  that  nearly  one  thousand  eight  hundred  persons 
had  heard  him.  Elder  Smith's  address  was  not  in  the  nature  of 
a  sermon,  partaking  more  of  a  general  talk  upon  the  doctrine 
and  practices  of  the  Latter  Day  Saints'  religion.  Though  about 
seventy  years  of  age,  Joseph  Smith  has  the  appearance  of  a  man 
fifteen  years  younger,  is  hale  and  hearty,  and  a  forceful  speaker. 
Regarded  as  a  prophet  and  infallible  [this  statement  is  untrue] 
in  matters  pertaining  to  the  faith,  his  utterances  are  listened  to 
as  almost  gospel  by  his  fellow  members. 


216  JOSEPH  SMITH 

The  president  said,  in  part,  that  the  members  of  the  Latter 
Day  Saints'  Church  were  believers  in  the  Bible,  that  they 
believed  the  Bible  more  than  any  other  people.  He  stated  that 
while  there  were  many  people  and  denominations  who  professed 
to  believe  the  Bible  when  it  was  closed,  when  it  was  opened  and 
read  to  them  they  were  not  willing  to  believe  it.  He  asserted 
that  the  Church  he  represented  was  the  only  Church  that  had 
followed  out  the  plan  of  the  New  Testament  in  having  in  it  all 
of  the  officers  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament,  and  which  com- 
plied with  the  church  of  that  book  as  an  organization. 

Continuing,  Elder  Smith  said  that  the  central  idea  of  the 
Latter  Day  Saints'  Church  religion  was  Jesus  Christ.  That  he 
was  the  basis  of  their  faith,  regardless  of  the  Book  of  Mormon, 
Doctrine  and  Covenants,  or  the  claims  of  divine  inspiration  of 
any  of  its  members.  He  said  that  efforts  had  been  made  to 
prove  him  a  false  prophet,  to  be  shown  as  an  evidence  that  the 
Latter  Day  Saints'  religion  was  wrong,  but  that  his  own  over- 
throw would  no  more  affect  the  Church  itself  than  would  the 
Bible  be  affected  by  proving  any  of  the  ancient  prophets  to  be 
false.  He  stated  that  the  people  in  the  valley  of  the  West 
(meaning  the  Utah  Mormons)  characterized  him  as  a  degener- 
ate son  of  an  illustrious  father,  because  he  refused  to  follow 
them  in  their  iniquitous  practices.  But  that  upon  the  judgment 
day  the  Bible,  the  Book  of  Mormon,  and  the  Book  of  Covenants 
would  show  the  works  of  the  Church  and  entrance  to  heaven 
would  be  claimed  upon  these  and  not  upon  such  practices  as 
polygamy. 

In  speaking  of  the  claims  of  divine  inspiration  held  by  mem- 
bers of  the  Church,  permitting  of  revelations,  Elder  Smith  said 
that  in  the  beginning  of  the  Latter  Day  Saints'  work  ministers 
of  other  denominations  charged  the  Church  with  an  attempt  to 
add  to  the  Bible  by  incorporating  these  revelations  with  the 
Holy  Writ,  and  that  the  Bible  stated  if  any  man  should  add  to 
the  prophecy  of  that  book  or  take  one  jot  away  therefrom  he 
should  be  damned,  etc.  He  said  that  this  was  an  inconsistency, 
because  the  Book  of  Revelation  was  not  of  the  Bible  [origin- 
ally], but  had  been  added. 

The  claim  of  the  Latter  Day  Saints'  Church  is  not  that  any- 
thing is  being  added  to  these  revelations,  but  that  they  are  being 


JOSEPH  SMITH  217 

interpreted  correctly,  as  they  had  .never  been  before  and  as  they 
were  not  accepted  by  the  members  of  other  denominations.  The 
realization  of  the  wrongful  interpretation  had  come  to  Joseph 
Smith  through  the  visitation  of  an  angel  who  had  stated  that  the 
creeds  of  men  were  wrong  and  were  an  abomination  in  the  sight 
of  the  Lord ;  that  he  was  made  to  see  them  in  their  true  light 
and  was  instructed  to  preach  the  true  gospel  to  all  nations  of 
every  tongue.  His  natural  conclusions  were  that  if  the  nations 
of  every  race  and  tongue  were  to  be  preached  to,  they  were  of  a 
necessity  all  wrong.  Elder  Smith  asserted  that  the  Bible  was 
simply  a  history  of  the  power  of  God  that  was  among  his  people 
in  the  ancient  times. 

OHIO. 

The  following  from  the  correspondent  of  the  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  Plain  Dealer,  April  15,  1896,  speaks  for 
itself : 

To  President  Smith  and  the  Delegates  to  the  Latter  Day 
Saints'  Conference;  Dear  Sirs  and  Brothers:  As  your  confer- 
ence draws  to  a  close  and  you  depart  to  your  many  fields  of  work 
very  soon,  I  want  to  at  this  time  thank  you  for  the  uniform 
courtesy  and  kindness  extended  to  me  during  my  work  in  Kirt- 
land. 

I  will  ever  regard  the  week  just  past  as  one  of  the  brightest  in 
my  life,  I  am  not  converted  to  your  faith,  but  I  part  from  you 
feeling  that  my  life  will  be  better  because  of  the  week's  associa- 
tion with  noble  men  and  women,  who  are  doing  an  unquestion- 
ably good  work  in  uplifting  humanity. 

I  have  a  vastly  different  opinion  of  the  Latter  Day  Saints  than 
when  I  first  came  among  you.  Where  you  then  had,  because  of 
my  ignorance,  an  indifferent  enemy,  you  now  have  a  warm 
friend. 

It  may  be  sometime  that  I  can  be  able  to  remove  from  the 
minds  of  others  many  of  the  false  ideas  they  have  of  your 
society.  I  have  in  my  reportorial  capacity  been  closely  asso- 
ciated with  the  many  denominations,  and  I  want  to  volunteer  the 
testimony  that  in  my  judgment  you  are  the  nearest  to  the  Car- 
penter of  Nazareth  that  I  have  seen. 


218  JOSEPH  SMITH 

I  have  endeavored  to  make  a  fair  and  accurate  report  of  your 
proceedings,  and  if  I  have  offended  any  one  I  assure  him  it  was 
purely  an  accident,  and  contained  naught  of  malice. 

Wishing  you  a  large  measure  of  success  in  your  work  of  love 
and  sacrifice,  I  remain,  Yours  truly, 

GEORGE  H.  GORDON, 
Plain  Dealer  Correspondent. 

The  following  is  taken  from  the  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
Herald,  April  9,  1883: 

A  more  devoted  or  conscientious  body  of  delegates  never 
assembled  for  a  like  purpose.  Nothing  can  equal  the  persist- 
ency with  which  the  Mormons  gathered  here  denounce  the  evils 
of  the  brethren  of  the  Utah  Church.  The  consciousness  that 
they  are  continually  reproached  on  that  account  evidently 
aggravates  them  greatly.  Said  President  Smith,  to  your  rep- 
resentative this  morning,  "We  differ  from  them  (Utah  Mor- 
mons) in  almost  everything.  They  are  a  Theocracy.  What 
they  are  told  to  do  must  be  done.  With  us  there  is  freedom  of 
thought."  The  Honorable  R.  P.  Harmon  in  speaking  of  the 
ministers  present,  says,  "In  intellectual  acumen  I  think  they 
gtand  above  the  average  clerical  assemblies." 

CANADA. 

The  following  is  taken  from  the  decision  of  Chief 
Justice  Armour,  of  Canada: 

Chief  Justice  Armour,  and  other  judges  concurring,  said:  "I 
have  read  the  evidence  over  and  find  nothing  contrary  to  the 
doctrine  of  Christ  in  the  teaching  of  the  Reorganized  Church  oi 
Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints."  "The  great  trouble  is  the 
Latter  Day  Saints'  doctrine  is  Christian  in  the  highest  sense, 
and  the  rest  of  the  religious  world  is  opposed  to  them  because 
they  (the  Saints)  cling  so  closely  to  the  Bible."  "It  seems  as 
though  it  is  jealousy,  not  justice,  that  moves  the  action  in  this 
cas*."  "These  people  teach  that  one  man  should  have  one  wife 
only,  and  they  stand  by  that."— Palmyra  to  Independence,  p. 
413. 


JOSEPH  SMITH  219 

AUSTRALIA. 

The  following  is  from  the  Evening  News,  Sydney, 
New  South  Wales,  which  needs  no  comment.  It 
speaks  plain  and  positive : 

MORMONS  IN  AUSTRALIA. 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Evening  News,  Sir:  I  read  with  interest 
in  one  of  your  recent  issues  a  statement  under  the  above  caption. 
Permit  me  to  point  out  that  there  are  two  separate  and  distinct 
bodies  of  Latter  Day  Saints:  The  one  with  headquarters  in 
Utah,  U,  S.  A.,  (commonly  called  Polygamous  Mormons,)  and 
the  other  with  headquarters  in  Iowa  State,  the  very  heart  of 
America.  The  latter  are  known  as  "Reorganized"  Latter  Day 
Saints,  and  claim  to  be  the  original  true  Latter  Day  Saintism. 
They  set  up  the  claim  of  being  the  first  church  in  all  Christen- 
dom which  sent  missionaries  to  Utah  to  convert  the  followers  of 
Brigham  Young  from  the  error  of  their  way.  In  the  article 
above  referred  to  it  is  remarked  that  "some  of  the  Christian 
sects,  which  at  the  present  day  deservedly  claim  general  respect, 
were  originally  associated  with  enthusiasts,  whose  zeal  took  the 
most  extravagant  and  dangerous  shapes."  The  Anabaptists  are 
cited  as  an  example,  and  the  writer  then  suggests  that  Mormon- 
ism  may  experience  a  similar  transformation. 

It  is  interesting  to  know  that  the  Reorganized  Church  of  Lat- 
fcer  Day  Saints  has  been  contending  for  the  last  twenty  or  more 
years  that  originally  the  Church  contained  nothing  "danger- 
ous," though  to  other  religionists  it  might  have  appeared 
"new"  from  a  doctrinal  standpoint.  They  claim  as  a  fact  that 
not  until  years  after  the  organization  of  the  Church,  and  eight 
years  after  the  death  of  Smith,  was  anything  hurtful  or  fright- 
ful introduced— and  then  by  Brigham  Young,  after  he  led  a  sec- 
tion away  to  Utah  in  the  far  west  of  America.  The  other  section 
repudiated  these  innovations  from  the  first,  and  moved  right  on 
upon  the  original  principles;  but  for  purposes  of  property  and 
distinction  in  print  they  were  compelled  to  prefix  the  term 
"Reorganized"  to  the  name  of  the  Church.  If  your  readers  will 
turn  to  the  "Government  Gazette,"  New  South  Wales,  also 
"Directory,"  they  will  see  ministers'  names  registered  under 
such  a  head. 


220  JOSEPH   SMITH 

» 

A  recent  high  court  decision  in  matters  of  property  in  United 
States,  America,  sustains  the  contention  made  by  the  original  or 
Reorganized  Saints.  The  line  of  distinction  is  being  recognized 
more  generally  throughout  America,  and  the  churches  in  Aus- 
tralia are  hopeful  that  the  facts  will  be  more  fully  known  here  at 
no  distant  day.  Representatives  of  both  churches  are  now  in 
Australia;  but  the  Brighamites  peremptorily  refuse  to  meet  the 
representatives  of  the  Reorganized  Church  in  debate  upon  the 
points  at  issue,  which  is  very  suggestive.  There  seems  to  be  a 
movement  back  towards  original  Mormonism  by  the  apostate 
section  in  Utah.  The  writer  met  three  missionaries  from  Utah 
lately,  and  they  stated  they  were  not  willing  to  defend  Brigham- 
ism.  The  Reorganized  Church  claim  some  credit  in  having 
brought  about  this  change  of  policy.  This  body  claims  a  mem- 
bership of  over  five  hundred  in  New  South  Wales  and  Victoria. 
They  have  several  chapels  in  Sydney  and  Newcastle, — and  claim 
that  they  are  here  to  stay.  Yours, 

A.  READER. 
—Sydney,  N.  S.  W.,  Evening  News,  September  25,  1897. 

AT  WASHINGTON. 

PROCEEDINGS  BEFORE  THE    COMMITTEE    ON    PRIVILEGES  AND  ELEC- 
TIONS OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  SENATE. 

The  Chairman.— Is  there  a  denomination  or  a  portion  of  the 
Mormon  faith  called  the  reorganized  church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter  Day  Saints? 
f  Mr.  Lyman.— There  is  such  a  church;  yes,  sir. 

The  Chairman. — There  is  such  a  church? 

Mr.  Lyman. — Yes,  sir. 

The  Chairman. — Do  you  know  where  is  its  headquarters;  wh 
s  at  the  head  of  that  church? 

Mr.  Lyman. — Joseph  Smith. 

The  Chairman. — Joseph  Smith? 

Mr.  Lyman. — A  son  of  the  prophet. 

The  Chairman. — And  he  is  a  son  of  the  original  prophet? 

Mr.  Lyman. — Yes,  sir. 

The  Chairman. — He  is  at  the  head  of  that  church? 

Mr.  Lyman. — Yes  sir. 

The  Chairman.— Do  you  know  where  he  resides? 


\ 


JOSEPH   SMITH  221 

Mr.  Lyman.— At  Lamoni. 

The  Chairman. — How  does  that  organization  differ  from 
yours? 

Senator  Dubois. — In  what  State  is  that? 

The  Chairman.— In  what  State? 

Mr.  Lyman.— In  many  particulars. 

The  Chairman. — No.    In  what  State  does  he  reside? 

Mr.  Lyman. — In  Iowa. 

The  Chairman. — He  is  the  president  of  that  church  now? 

Mr.  Lyman. — Yes,  sir. 

The  Chairman. — Without  going  into  it  generally,  in  what 
respect  does  that  organization  differ  from  yours  upon  the  ques- 
tion of  polygamy? 

Mr.  Lyman.— In  what  respect? 

The  Chairman.— Yes. 

Mr.  Lyman. — Why,  in  every  respect. 

The  Chairman. — They  denounce  it,  do  they  not? 

Mr.  Lyman.— Oh,  they  denounce  it;  yes,  sir,  in  strong  terms, 
and  almost  provoke  us  to  defend  it  sometimes.  [Laughter.] 

The  Chairman. — Yes;  they  almost  provoke  you  to  defend  it. 
That  is  all. 

Senator  Dubois. — Also,  they  do  not  teach  absolute  obedience 
to  their  leaders,  do  they? 

Mr.  Lyman. — How  is  that? 

Senator  Dubois.— They  do  not  teach  absolute  obedience  to 
their  leaders? 

Mr.  Lyman. — I  think  not.  I  think  they  are  not  very  strenu- 
ous. Still,  I  am  not  very  much  of  a  judge  of  their  doctrines. — 
Pages  460,  461. 

The  above  investigation  was  held  in  Washington, 
in  March,  1904,  and  Mr.  Lyman,  who  was  on  the 
witness  stand  in  the  Smoot  case,  is  the  next  in  suc- 
cession in  the  Utah  Church  presidency. 

The  following,  written  from  Washington  by  Walter 
Welman  and  published  in  the  Chicago  Record- 
Herald,  for  March  14,  1904,  represents  the  facts  in  a 
clear,  concise  manner: 


222  JOSEPH  SMITH 

The  Committee  has  also  been  appealed  to  by  other  Mormon 
Churches  to  take  action  which  shall  result  in  justice  to  them.  It 
seems  that  there  are  several  Mormon  societies  in  various  parts 
of  the  country  whose  members  do  not  practice  polygamy,  and 
who  never  did.  These  churches  regard  the  Utah  organization 
as  apostate,  and  the  Utah  people  as  cordially  hate  the  others. 
These  monogomist  Latter  Day  Saints  are  as  bitterly  opposed  to 
Smoot  or  any  other  Utah  Mormon  sitting  in  Congress  as  the 
Methodists  or  the  Presbyterians  or  any  other  Christian  people 
could  be.  They  want  Smoot  unseated  and  have  not  been  at  all 
backward  in  making  their  wishes  known  to  the  Committee. 
They  have  informed  the  Committee  that  Smoot  and  every  other 
Utah  Mormon  who  goes  through  the  endowment  ceremony  has 
taken  an  oath  which  binds  him  to  for  ever  "follow  his  file 
leader"  without  question  or  demur.  Moreover,  the  monogamist 
Mormons  say  the  polygamous  Mormons  are  taught  that  they 
may  swear  falsely  to  any  Gentile,  and  that  it  is  not  a  sin.  It  is 
declared  that  many  who  in  innocence  have  gone  through  this 
ceremony  believing  it  to  be  right  have  afterwards  been  so 
shocked  by  it  as  to  induce  them  to  leave  the  Church  and 
denounce  the  whole  thing. 

One  of  the  largest  of  these  nonpolygamous  societies  is  Jcnown 
as  the  Reorganized  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints, 
with  headquarters  at  Lamoni,  Iowa.  Members  of  Congress  from 
Iowa  who  know  these  people  say  they  are  the  equals  in  probity 
and  morality  of  any  people  under  the  sun.  No  citizens  of  that 
State  #re  more  highly  respected  by  their  neighbors.  The  mem- 
bers of  this  Church  and  their  friends  of  similar  societies  in 
Michigan  and  other  western  States  are  imploring  the  Committee 
to  give  them  a  chance  to  prove  that  President  Joseph  F.  Smith 
of  Utah  in  his  recent  testimony  before  the  Committee  bore  false 
and  outrageously  unjust  witness  against  the  original  Joseph 
Smith.  President  Smith  declared  on  the  stand  that  Joseph 
Smith,  who  was  killed  at  Carthage,  Illinois,  in  1844,  introduced 
polygamy  into  the  Mormon  Church.  This  the  nonpolygamous 
Mormons,  or  Latter  Day  Saints,  vehemently  deny,  and  they  ask 
the  Committee  to  give  them  an  opportunity  to  prove  that  Presi- 
dent Smith  did  not  tell  the  truth.  There  are  fifty  thousand  or 
sixty  thousand  of  these  nonpolygamous  people,  and  they  are  to 


JOSEPH  SMITH  223 

this  day  tinder  the  lead  ership  of  the  sons  of  the  original  Joseph 
Smith,  They  aver  that  it  is  hard  enough  for  them  to  be  com- 
pelled to  stagger  along  under  the  reproach  and  disgrace  of  the 
apostate  church  of  Utah,  because  in  the  minds  of  the  uninformed 
there  is  little  difference  between  one  Mormon  and  another, 
without  being  compelled  to  endure  this  false  witness. 

It  is  not  probable  that  the  Committee  will  accede  to  the  request 
to  open  up  this  old  controversy.  But  a  member  of  the  Commit- 
tee, who  knows  something  of  the  high  character  of  the  monoga- 
mist Latter  Day  Saints,  says  he  has  personally  examined  some 
of  the  evidence  which  has  been  submitted  to  the  Committee  and 
he  can  find  no  proof  whatever  that  President  Smith  was  correct 
in  saying  Joseph  Smith  had  introduced  polygamy  into  the 
Church.  On  the  other  hand,  he  finds  almost  conclusive  proof 
that  Joseph  Smith  did  nothing  of  the  sort  and  that  the  founder 
of  the  Church  neither  practiced  nor  preached  polygamy.  In  the 
Book  of  Doctrine  and  Covenants  of  the  Reorganized  Church  of 
Latter  Day  Saints  it  is  written:  "Marriage  is  ordained  of  God 
unto  man,  wherefore  it  is  lawful  that  he  should  have  one  wife 
and  they  twain  shall  be  one  flesh."  Again,  "Thou  shalt  love 
thy  wife  with  all  thy  heart  and  shalt  cleave  unto  her  and  none 
else."  This,  it  is  believed,  was  the  only  doctrine  of  marriage 
ever  taught  by  the  founder  of  Mormonism.  In  fact,  it  is  pretty 
well  demonstrated  that  the  Church  never  taught  polygamy  till 
Brigham  Young  became  the  absolute  ruler  of  the  organization. 
Members  of  the  Committee  say  they  would  like  to  do  justice  to 
the  moral  and  law-abiding  citizens  who  compose  the  Church  in 
its  undefiled  form,  and  who  have  been  preaching  repentance  to 
their  erring  brothers  in  Utah  these  many  years,  but  the  Com- 
mittee can  not  go  into  that  question. 

In  the  foregoing  extracts  there  appear  some  inac- 
curacies, but  they,  may  be  easily  detected  by  referring 
to  the  previous  chapters.  The  general  tenor  may  be 
depended  on. 

Not  only  have  we  given  evidence  sufficient  to  con- 
vince those  whose  minds  are  open  for  conviction  that 
Joseph  Smith  was  a  kind-hearted,  noble-minded 


224  JOSEPH  SMITH 

Christian  gentleman,  but  also  that  he  stood  in 
advance  of  the  best  thinking  men  of  this  nation  in 
many  things,  as  we  have  shown.  It  might  be  well  to 
inquire  whether  Mr.  Smith's  superior  wisdom  was 
natural  or  whether  he  obtained  it  by  revelation.  To 
say  that  it  was  natural,  very  effectually  destroys  the 
old  statement  that  he  was  low,  ignorant,  and  laj&y. 
To  say  that  an  unlettered  youth  would  become  such  a 
sound  thinker,  so  much  in  advance  of  other  men  in 
America,  and  that,  too,  before  his  thirty-ninth  year, 
is  out  of  the  ordinary.  Accepting  Mr.  Smith's  own 
claims  and  the  proofs  at  hand,  we  would  rather 
believe  that  his  mind  was  illuminated  by  the  Spirit 
of  God — that  it  did  "partake  of  the  things  of  the 
Father  and  reveal  them  unto  him — it  did  guide  him 
into  all  truth,  and  did  show  him  things  to  come." 
(Saint  John  16:7-13.) 

We  have  proven  his  character  good.  We  have 
answered  the  vile  attacks  of  the  adversary  against 
him.  We  have  shown  text  after  text  in  the  Bible 
which  speaks  of  just  such  a  work  as  he  performed, 
and  in  conclusion  we  give  the  Bible  text  of  a  Chris- 
tian: "He  that  abideth  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ 
hath  both  the  Father  and  the  Son."— 2  John  1 :  9. 

Joseph  Smith  did  abide  in  that  doctrine;  he  taught 
the  old  gospel  as  recorded  in  the  Bible,  but  cared 
little  for"  the  so-called  modern  and  changed  Chris- 
tianity. The  Church  he  organized  has  suffered  all 
manner  of  persecution,  more  severe  perhaps  than 
any  other  Church  in  America,  and  perhaps  in  the 
world;  but  it  yet  stands  firm  as  ever  and  growing 
more  solid  and  healthy  all  the  while.  The  reader  can 
safely  trust  in  it.  Preachers  have  preached  against 


JOSEPH   SMITH  225 

it.  Teachers  have  taught  against  it.  Writers  have 
written  against  it.  All  churches  have  combined 
against  it.  It  reminds  us  of  Jeremiah's  statement: 
ikMine  heritage- is  unto  me  as  a  speckled  bird,  the 
birds  round  about  are  against  her." — Jeremiah  12:  9. 

It  has  been  slandered,  ridiculed,  ostracized,  and 
opposed,  and  yet  it  moves  steadily  on.  All  the  com- 
bined forces  of  earth  and  hell  have  not  been  able  to 
overthrow  it.  It  is  safe,  it  is  worthy,  its  doctrines 
are  able  to  save. 

It  has  in  it  the  elements  of  success  to  withstand  all 
opposing  forces,  for  it  is  founded  on  a  rock  and  that 
rock  is  the  gospel  of  Christ.  To  us  this  is  evidence 
that  Joseph  Smith  was  inspired  to  lay  the  foundation 
of  the  restored  Church  of  God. 

Though  other  churches  have  from  time  to  time 
changed  their  doctrine,  the  true  Latter  Day  Saints 
have  never  done  so,  though  attacked  from  every 
quarter.  This  is  good  evidence  that  it  is  from  the 
unchangeable  One.  It  is  in  harmony  with  the  New 
Testament  church  in  organization,  in  doctrine,  in  the 
gifts  01  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  in  practice.  And  we 
therefore  take  pleasure  in  recommending  it  to  the 
careful  consideration  of  all  honest  seekers  after 
truth.  If  "by  their  works  ye  shall  know  them,"  then 
we  conclude  that  Joseph  Smith  was  a  good  man,  a 
man  of  God,  a  servant  of  God,  a  prophet  of  God. 


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